Now that I have shifted focus from the classical to the Romantic period, there are far more prolific female composers, and I can finally find pieces written for violin. Here are a few of my favorites by the most prominent Romantic ladies:
Fanny Hensel Mendelssohn: Adagio for Violin and Piano | Clara Schumann: 3 Romances, Op. 22 |
Amy Beach: Sonata in A minor, Op. 34
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Louise Farrenc: Variations Concertantes, Op. 20 | Dame Ethel Smyth: Sonata in A Minor, Op. 7 |
Now I have the opposite problem from my previous studies: narrowing it down to one piece! Unfortunately my playing time will be very limited, as my total presentation time is just 20 minutes, so I can only play short excerpts. Also, unlike baroque music, these pieces are all quite technically challenging--so I have to make sure to choose something I can learn by May! However, it is nice to finally have some options; it's really refreshing to see such a range of wonderful compositions by women, not just for violin, but for orchestra and chamber groups as well.