As I have continued my research, I have started to collect useful sources as points of historical reference. The following is a preliminary bibliography, annotated to include a brief explanation of how each article has been useful to me.
Arnold, D. (1963). Orphans and Ladies: The Venetian Conservatoires (1680–1790). Proceedings of the Royal Musical Association, 31-47. Retrieved October 21, 2015, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/765995
Appreciating the influence of the Venetian orphanages that served as music schools is crucial to understanding baroque music—particularly where women were concerned. Venice was a center of the arts in the 17th and 18th centuries, and these schools instructed children in music from an early age. Antonio Vivaldi is probably the most famous connection to the Venetian conservatories; most of his music was written for a group of young girls, who became one of the finest orchestras of the time.
Constable, M. (1982). The Venetian ‘Figlie Del Coro’: Their Environment And Achievement. Music and Letters, 181-212. Retrieved October 21, 2015, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/736546
Like the Arnold article, this piece focuses on the outstanding female students at Venetian orphanages. These girls proved that women’s relative lack of achievement or notability in music was not due to a lesser talent; given the opportunity, female musicians could thrive.
Cyrus, C. J., & Mather, O. C. (1998). Rereading Absence: Women in Medieval and Renaissance Music. College Music Symposium, 38, 101-117. Retrieved October 4, 2015, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/40374322
From this source I derived five ways to reexamine music history from a feminist perspective, which have so far been invaluable to my research process. It discussed several common reasons for women’s lack of prominence in the music world, which connects with my study of women’s social status and how it relates to music.
Drinker, S. (1948). Music and women: The story of women in their relation to music. New York: Coward-McCann.
Sophie Drinker was a pioneer in women’s musicology—one of the first to explore the scope of women’s involvement in music throughout history. This book, her thoroughly-researched seminal work, is extremely useful to me because of its depth and breadth. It discusses a wide range of time periods, places, and cultures, and does not merely skim the surface; it has provided me with a wealth of information on specific composers, performers, and organizations to research further.
Glixon, B. (1997). New Light on the Life and Career of Barbara Strozzi. The Musical Quarterly, 2(81), 311-335. Retrieved October 15, 2015, from http://mq.oxfordjournals.org/content/81/2/311.extract
Barbara Strozzi was one of the first great classical singers, male or female. Although largely remembered for her operatic stylings, she was also a prolific composer, and garnered considerable respect in the musical world during her lifetime—quite a rare feat in a time when female musicians were seldom taken seriously. This article provides a basic overview of Strozzi’s life and her influence on classical music.
Arnold, D. (1963). Orphans and Ladies: The Venetian Conservatoires (1680–1790). Proceedings of the Royal Musical Association, 31-47. Retrieved October 21, 2015, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/765995
Appreciating the influence of the Venetian orphanages that served as music schools is crucial to understanding baroque music—particularly where women were concerned. Venice was a center of the arts in the 17th and 18th centuries, and these schools instructed children in music from an early age. Antonio Vivaldi is probably the most famous connection to the Venetian conservatories; most of his music was written for a group of young girls, who became one of the finest orchestras of the time.
Constable, M. (1982). The Venetian ‘Figlie Del Coro’: Their Environment And Achievement. Music and Letters, 181-212. Retrieved October 21, 2015, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/736546
Like the Arnold article, this piece focuses on the outstanding female students at Venetian orphanages. These girls proved that women’s relative lack of achievement or notability in music was not due to a lesser talent; given the opportunity, female musicians could thrive.
Cyrus, C. J., & Mather, O. C. (1998). Rereading Absence: Women in Medieval and Renaissance Music. College Music Symposium, 38, 101-117. Retrieved October 4, 2015, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/40374322
From this source I derived five ways to reexamine music history from a feminist perspective, which have so far been invaluable to my research process. It discussed several common reasons for women’s lack of prominence in the music world, which connects with my study of women’s social status and how it relates to music.
Drinker, S. (1948). Music and women: The story of women in their relation to music. New York: Coward-McCann.
Sophie Drinker was a pioneer in women’s musicology—one of the first to explore the scope of women’s involvement in music throughout history. This book, her thoroughly-researched seminal work, is extremely useful to me because of its depth and breadth. It discusses a wide range of time periods, places, and cultures, and does not merely skim the surface; it has provided me with a wealth of information on specific composers, performers, and organizations to research further.
Glixon, B. (1997). New Light on the Life and Career of Barbara Strozzi. The Musical Quarterly, 2(81), 311-335. Retrieved October 15, 2015, from http://mq.oxfordjournals.org/content/81/2/311.extract
Barbara Strozzi was one of the first great classical singers, male or female. Although largely remembered for her operatic stylings, she was also a prolific composer, and garnered considerable respect in the musical world during her lifetime—quite a rare feat in a time when female musicians were seldom taken seriously. This article provides a basic overview of Strozzi’s life and her influence on classical music.