I was so excited to actually read something about female musicians! And not just amateurs. I thought it was extremely fascinating to get a little background on the growth of female musicians during the Victorian era. Up until this point all that women were really allowed / were encouraged to do was to play the piano and perhaps sing. In the readings from this past week I was pleased to read about the increase in the number of women playing string instruments during that time. In the reading by Sophie Fuller, we even got to learn a little bit about the professional female musician and composer.

I realize that the article was focused on Elgar, but I would have loved to have read more about what life was like for these professional female musicians. Who hired them, how were they regarded in society, how did their lives change once they were married, were they disappointed to give up their careers once they were married (for those who did give up their careers)? I think it would be really interesting to read some diary entries from a professional female musician. I would love to hear a firsthand account of what it was like, hopes/fears, disappointments, greatest joys and successes.

Although Elgar seems to have used a lot of these women as his muses at times, and didn’t really regard them as much more, at least we know that there were some talented female performers and composers. Even the growth of the amateur female musician is exciting to me, we’re beginning to see women form these musical groups and banding together to do something traditionally very male.

I also love it when I read articles that restate what I’ve read in other articles, it makes me feel like we’re all on the same page and helps to emphasize how important certain aspects of music, life, society, etc… really were back in that time period. For example the ways in which many of these talented female musicians, who probably could have been professionals, played only at charity events so they could “retain their genteel status as amateurs (Fuller p.229).” I would love to read more articles, specifically about and from the perspective of professional and amateur female musicians.