Classical Music : Best/Favorite Female Composer(s)?

Best/Favorite Female Composer(s)?

I'd probably choose Germaine Tailleferre (1892 – 1983), a French composer and member of Les Six (Tailleferre, plus Louis Durey, Francis Poulenc, Darius Milhaud, Georges Auric, and Arthur Honegger). Her Harp Sonata and Harp Concertino are good places to start:

Harp Sonata: III. Perpetuum Mobile: Allegro gaiement
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TE1By2kGWOM

Concertino pour Harpe et Orchestre (1927) - 3. Rondo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEZF73-AL2Q

Re: Best/Favorite Female Composer(s)?

Um, can't think of any, rather, I don't have a favourite...in fact, I don't think I have a single CD of a female composer in my collection.

Re: Best/Favorite Female Composer(s)?

Not counting atonal drivel by some more recent female composers who I won't mention by name, I can only think of three from the "golden years" (Beach, Clara Schumann, and Tailleferre). Tailleferre is far and away the best of those three, for whatever that's worth, and better than co-Les Six members Durey and Auric, but not as good as Milhaud, Honneger and Poulenc, for whatever that's worth. Actually, some film music buffs would argue Auric was also greater than Tailleferre due to his film scoring work.

Re: Best/Favorite Female Composer(s)?


atonal drivel

what, as opposed to the atonal music you like?


by some more recent female composers who I won't mention by name

dare you


I can only think of three from the "golden years" (Beach, Clara Schumann, and Tailleferre). Tailleferre is far and away the best of those three

I like Taillefaire's harp concertino - and somehow I'd never heard the harp sonata until you posted it just now, like that too, so thanks! - but I'm not sure it's clear to me that she's "far and away" better than Beach or C Schumann.

Anyway, from the "golden years":

Louise Farrenc - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4p1q0mNjoo&t=210s

Ethel Smyth - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqnhhAPjA-I

and in a somewhat lighter line, Cécile Chaminade - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2Gn_FpTXD0


-----

Re: Best/Favorite Female Composer(s)?

what, as opposed to the atonal music you like?

I don't like any, except maybe the odd bit here and there from Messiaen or Takemitsu, and even then I'd rather be listening to something else

dare you

Gubaidulina and Saariaho, for starters

P.S. Beach is my second favorite distaff composer. I do actually have The Wreckers Overture by Smyth tucked away on CD somewhere, and Beach's Gaelic Symphony as well.

Re: Best/Favorite Female Composer(s)?


...second favorite distaff composer...


Surely you can find a less offensive adjective than that to make your point.

Re: Best/Favorite Female Composer(s)?

Something old: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kC_9WnnWvqw

The most important non-American minimalist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnbGirPTgF0

Something newish, which, now that I've said that, everybody here will be too cowardly to listen to, even though it's less than two minutes: https://soundcloud.com/la-main-harmonique/caroline-marcot-ma-ardens-cor


-----

Re: Best/Favorite Female Composer(s)?

I second Germaine Tailleferre
Top