A standard challenge: Why no women Mozarts? Besides the fact that there's only been one male Mozart, could we have known if Mozart's sister had great talent, given family and social roles, expectations and education for women? But some women nearly transcended those odds. Here are some albums where you can listen to the work of some women classical composers and performers, 1800 to present. (Albums may be difficult to find, and aren't currently listed with About's standard commerce partner.)
1. Women of Note
Music of Beach, Boulanger, Clarke, Gubaidulina, Larsen, Mendelssohn, Monk, Musgrave, Ran and Zwilich. An excellent compilation if you'd like an introduction to some of the great women composers, most of whom are sadly unknown to most of the public.2. Chamber Works by Women Composers
A 2-CD compilation of works by women, to sample new possibilities or explore diverse styles. Includes Clara Schumann, Amy Beach, Germaine Tailleferre, Lili Boulanger, Fanny Mendelssohn , Marial Teresa Carreno and Cecile Chaminade.3. Piano Music - Clara Wieck Schumann
Yoshiko Iwai plays five compositions by Clara Schumann. Clara Wieck Schumann usually played works by her husband, Robert Schumann, or their friend, Johannes Brahms, both of whom she influenced and promoted, but she was a composer in her own right, nearly lost in the shadow of these men.4. Fanny Mendelssohn: Piano Works Vol. 1 & 2
Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel, a sister of Felix Mendelssohn and granddaughter of a German philosopher, showed talent in her childhood equal to that of her brother. She focused more on small scale works: piano and lieder. She gradually achieved some public recognition before her untimely death during a rehearsal of her brother's "Walpurgis Nacht."5. Amy Beach: Canticle of the Sun
Amy Marcy Beach, who published as Mrs. H.H.A.Beach and is sometimes known as America's first great woman composer, is represented here with some of her very Victorian religious music. Performers include Susan Bender, Barbara Hollinshead, the Capitol Hill Choral Society and others.6. Florence Price: Symphony in Cm
Florence Beatrice Price, influenced by the Harlem Renaissance, was among the first African American woman to write symphonies. She also drew in her work from music of black history. This album includes varied selections.7. Women at an Exposition
An interesting notion: music that either was played or was in the right period to have been played at the Columbian Exposition of 1893 in Chicago, where women took an active part in the World's Fair, especially in the Woman's Building. Includes music by Amy Beach, Cecile Chaminade and others.8. The Music of Germaine Tailleferre
A composer active in Paris in the 1920s and 1930s and part of the art scene that included Picasso, her later work had been largely forgotten or lost until recently. Her ability to write and publish was affected by her family difficulties. She scored film as well as writing for piano, harp and orchestra, and also some opera.9. Greatest Hits: Maria Callas
The life of Maria Callas was often scandalous, but her operatic voice remains one of the best-loved and most remembered. In this collection are some of the best from a relatively-short career.10. Softly Awakes My Heart
Marion Anderson's voice is itself a classic of the 20th century. This CD includes selections from opera, other classical vocal pieces and songs from the African American tradition including spirituals.
