Non Serviam

Reading an essay review (Kvinnliga kompositörer utan identitet - Women Composers without Identity, SvD Under Strecket) of a book about women composers, I am struck by how tedious it all is. Yet another text about women composers rather than women composers.

To spurn interest in what is already composed, and to inspire others, why not more about their music? It seems the only interest is in how unjustly they were treated, by the standards of our time in particular. So we still treat them as if the only interesting aspect with these composers is that they are (mostly were) women! The essay review only touches on the creative life of Lili Boulanger, but does not veer from the main theme, thus leaving them still without identity.

It is unjust, of course, to demand that a particular text really should have been about something else. It is only that it is so predictable when I read something about ‘women composers’ (or about anything with ‘women’ stuck in front). I know that I am not going to read about songs, string quartets, concertos, sonatas, or symphonies. Or good recordings for that matter.

Some care should be taken before expecting a vast musical treasure, though. Many male composers were also brilliant students, prize winners, and compared to other ‘genious’ composers of their time. And yet, they were also eventually forgotten. Frequently for just reasons. I am sure women were badly treated also as composers. But I would guess most of them would have been forgotten anyway, just like most of their male colleagues.

Still, there may be some good unheard music out there!