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Unlike previous anthologizing examinations of women and musical composition, this book concentrates on the reasons why there have been, and continue to be, so few women composers. Jill Halstead focuses on the experiences of nine composers born in the twentieth century (Avril Coleridge Taylor, Grace Williams, Elizabeth Maconchy, Minna Keal, Ruth Gipps, Antoinette Kirkwood, Enid Luff, Judith Bailey and Bryony Jagger) to explore the physiological, social and political factors that have inhibited women from pursuing careers as composers. Is there a biological argument for inferior female creativity? Do social structures, such as marriage, serve to restrict potential women composers? Is the gender of a composer reflected in the music they write? If so, how would this manifest itself? The conclusions that are reached are as complex and challenging as the questions that are raised. This powerful and provocative book aims to open up debate on these issues, which have all too often be avoided by critics and musicologists whose writings have perpetuated arguments that denigrate women's ability to compose. By confronting these arguments, this study will hopefully begin a reassessment of attitudes towards women and music, so that women composers are less of a rarity by the end of the next century.

Tabla de contenidos provista por Syndetics

• Psychology
• Music and Aptitude
• Music and Personality
• Education and Social History
• Families, Marriage and Motherhood
• Education, Opportunities and Professions
• The Gendered Politics of Music
• Establishment and Anti-Establishment Attitudes
• Tradition and Genre
• Sex, Gender and Music
• Bibliography
• Index

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CHOICE Review

Halstead (Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts, UK) prefaces this fine book with data from many scientific studies on the biology of the brain, musical aptitude tests, and personality and psychological profiles. The test result she cites include investigations of brain organization that show that the communication between the two hemispheres of the brain necessary for higher intellectual functions--including music--is stronger in women than in men. Females consistently outshine males in musical aptitude tests. Halstead concludes that the imbalance in the numbers of female/male composers results from social environment, not talent. Halstead interviewed nine contemporary British women composers and describes their perspectives on their own creativity, their perceived need to remain feminine (nurturing, passive) versus the need to write music (assertive, masculine), their struggles with insecurity, family duties, support circles, and social attitudes. Though the women's viewpoints vary, few are comfortable with the opportunities they have encountered. By far the harshest conflict is the prevailing view of music as a masculine world where men analyze and write music, create and control performance opportunities, and promulgate outmoded attitudes that refuse to take women composers seriously. A valuable portrait of the problem, and a discerning start toward the process of re-education, this volume should be read and discussed by students (upper-division undergraduate and above), professionals, and general readers. S. Glickman; formerly, Franklin and Marshall College