Exploring Women Composers

Introduction

Although Mozart is one of the most recognizable composers in Western music, this lesson allows you to identify and differentiate some of the great women composers of the 20th and 21st centuries. As you listen to each musical clip, see if you can identify similarities and differences between each composer below and that of Mozart. Which of the three composers below interests you the most? What about their music intrigues you?

Florence Price

Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1887, Florence Price was the first Black woman to have a piece publicly performed by a major symphony orchestra. Price was a gifted organist and composer, and composed over 300 pieces during her lifetime. After she died in 1953, her music was almost lost to the world, but a discovery of her old manuscripts in 2009 brought her pieces back to the classical music scene. Listen to an example of one of her string quartets below. The piece starts with romantic, lush harmonies, transitions to more playful rhythms, and ends with a romantic mood once more.

Video: "Andante moderato" from Florence Price's "String Quartet in G Major"

Castle of Our Skins Concert Series. (2017, Oct 12). "Andante moderato" from Florence Price's "String Quartet in G Major". [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/FHFyiNLWCjc?si=HL04xHg4NpUwHBTP

Click on the Closed Caption icon button at the bottom of the video to access the closed captions.

Rachel Portman

Rachel Portman was the first woman in history to win an Academy Award for Best Original Score, winning with her score for Emma in 1997. Portman has written over 100 scores and soundtracks for film, theatre, and television over her lifetime, and has served as a model for women to join the underrepresented ranks in film score composing. Portman's music is characterized by masterful writing for string instruments and understated, yet effective, themes. Listen to a sample of Portman's work below from her soundtrack for Chocolat (2000) starring Johnny Depp and Juliette Binoche.

Video: Vianne Sets Up Shop

Rachel Portman. (2014, Nov 8). Vianne Sets Up Shop. [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/PV6zrEixhFE?feature=shared

Click on the Closed Caption icon button at the bottom of the video to access the closed captions.

Queen Lili'uokalani

Queen Lili'uokalani was the last reigning monarch of Hawaii. A talented student of music from a young age, Queen Lili'uokalani was a gifted singer, choir director, and pianist who later found her gift for composing. In an autobiography, she writes, "To compose was natural as to breathe...". Queen Lili'uokalani composed over 150 Hawaiian songs and chants during her lifetime, many of which are still performed today. Her songs carry her legacy of preserving Hawaiian heritage through themes of love, tradition, and protest. Her most famous tune, Aloha 'Oe, possesses Western musical characteristics but maintains the cultural integrity of Hawaiian music. Listen to a clip of a performance below:

Video: Tia Carrere & Daniel Ho "Aloha 'Oe"

HawaiiMusicSupply. (2017, Jan 24). Tia Carrere & Daniel Ho "Aloha 'Oe". [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/fD0kiQB0UPE?feature=shared

Click on the Closed Caption icon button at the bottom of the video to access the closed captions.

Guiding Questions

Discuss the following questions with a partner. If you don't have a partner, write your answers on paper.

Which of the composers above were new to you?
Which of the three composers mentioned did you find the most interesting? Why?
Out of the three composers, which composition style did you prefer?

Click the Next button in the lower right to move forward in the module.