THERE WOMEN BETOVEN? IV

XIX CENTURY

As you can see, music was for many years the occupation primarily for women with a reputation for low morale; However, with the transition from the eighteenth to the nineteenth century and the strengthening of the middle class, this is changing – making music becomes an obligation. So in 1800 a German musical journal gives note: Any well-behaved girl, regardless of whether the talent or not, has to learn to play the piano or singing; Above all, it is modern; then, this is the easiest way to demonstrate leadership in society; and, if he’s lucky, sets a favorable and very probably a rich marriage contract. But soon some rude woman again exceeded its allowable limits; XIX century becomes the time of the rise of female musical professionalism. Women slowly conquering the concert podiums, but not this expedition with domestic piano on the grand piano has not been without hitches. The most interesting byproduct of conflict stemming from women’s entry into the music scene there was a gender marking various composers; so women at the Paris Conservatory never (at a given curriculum) played Beethoven, but for them were destined Haydn, Mozart, and a handful of pre-classical small masters. Women simply could not be allowed to play Beethoven creativity, pater familias figures of Western European classical music – that would be the musical equivalent of transvestism. In this “age of women,” so described because of the large number of (but not domination) female pianists in Europe, specifically allocated musician whose entire life spent within the greatest composers and performers of the first half of the 19th century – Clara Schumann. How was born into a musical family, Clare was a little girl was destined to become a star. father, grumpy but brilliant pianist Friedrich Vik, from her earliest childhood gave her piano lessons, violin, singing, harmony, theory and composition. With her father’s support, Clare was available complete concert repertoire that time, without arbitrary division into “male” and “female” compositions. His international career began with 11 years ago, and lasted a total of 63 years; and more before he turned 18, as the top artists and performers are the celebrated and written about Chopin, Schumann and List. Although the youth interested in the composing and wrote several works (ballads, romances, games, and even a concert), after marrying Robert Schumann her life circumstances have changed: the birth of eight children, with ailing husband and constant concert engagements, composing is pushed into a corner. Interesting is one of the entries in her diary: “I once believed to possess creative talent, but I gave up this idea; women should not compose – there was never a single woman who was in a state. Should we expect that I’m the one? “Whether composing or without it, Clare was an important factor in the world of classical music the rest of my life. She continued to perform long after the unfortunate death of her husband, and through its concerts actively promoted the work of certain composers (Brahms), and she did not hesitate to private life to be fierce and vocal opponent of the composer with whose ideas did not agree (list, Wagner) . During his long life, however, Clare is not never been called a feminist nor, probably, in general a supporter of the first wave of feminism, which promoted political and economic independence of women. From earliest childhood brought up the career of the artist, which was sufficiently successful that of their salary support her entire family; former social rules as if they were bypassed, but has never been particularly sympathetic to the social injustices inflicted by other members of her sex. Shortly after her death in 1896, the political and social climate is changing, and musician and composer will not only carry the status of historical opskurštine, but also political symbols.