women in music
History shows that women were not as big of participants in music as men until later in the medieval era. This is due to many obstacles that faced women disabling them from singing, playing any instruments, or even composing music. Although barriers were present, many women and nuns were able to surpass them, and make use of their abilities and skills. Women composers had many barriers to pass in order to be able to use their skills and compose music and chants. One main obstacle blocking their way was the inability to learn and understand the art and sciences due to the lack of schooling. Education was vital for such musicians; especially that acceleration of specialization in western music broke many of the traditional links between women and music. The complexity required notation, sometimes separating the composer from those who p
Women were required to fulfill their "traditional roles ", and forget the idea of pursuing music. Although they were not accepted socially, but by time, they moved along and followed what they believed in, and eventually, got it. It is easy to explain the scarcity of musical works by women as a result of the educational and social obstacles confronting female musicians. However, few clearly managed to overcome these obstacles and their creativity remains largely unacknowledged because of the way modern scholarship has interpreted surviving evidence about them. The ritual space of female monastic choirs, thus distanced from the outside world, provided an earthly prefiguration of the heavenly Jerusalem in the eyes (and ears) of the holy father and many of his lay contemporaries. " (Marshall, 141)These "usual duties" were meant to be those of keeping a house and mothering children; they did not include developing specialized musical skills. It is enough for women to perform the usual duties to which the are ordained. Many of the women who performed polyphonic psalms, mass propers, and motets were nuns. As illustrated in a dialogue between Christine de Pisan and Reason:[Christine]"My lady, since they [women] have minds skilled in conceptualizing and learning, just like men, why don't women learn more?"She [Reason] replied, "Because, my daughter, the public does not require them to get involved in the affairs which men are commissioned to execute. Their monasteries were characterized by several features that reinforced this idea. Many women who had created their own music, either through financial patronage or personal influence have been classified as "sponsors' and thereby denied credit as active participants in the creative process. In Federigo Borrowmeo's view, nuns represented "the most select portion of the flock of Christ," a special status of holy virgins consecrated to God.
Common topics in this essay:
Reason ChristineMy,
,
Federigo Borrowmeo's,
Bibliography BIBLIOGRAPHY,
Musical Traditions,
music medieval era,
musical women,
usual duties,
medieval era,
main obstacle,
music medieval,
able surpass,
compose music,
Music Appreciation,
|
Acceptance Essays
