Today, we consider the violin to be an elegant, sophisticated instrument. However, in 1878, George Dubourg published an account entitled, “The Violin”, in which he makes the bold statement, “instead of a bow-arm, must ladies be allowed only the arm of a beau? Why should not a lady play on the violin?” . Even once playing the instrument was considered acceptable, being a professional musician as a woman was rare until the late nineteenth/early twentieth centuries . Even in today’s modern society, women in classical music face discrimination regarding their instrument type , but thanks to pioneering women throughout history, however, violin is considered an “appropriate” instruments for female musicians. These pioneering musicians include Sarah
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Although little is known about her, it is written that she proved “quid femina possit”, or “what a woman can do”. Another eighteenth century violinist that influenced music greatly was Anna Maria della Pieta, born in 1696. She was one of Vivaldi’s most talented students at Ospedale della Pieta in Venice, and orphanage who’s aim was to raise orphan girls to have practical or artistic skills. Vivaldi wrote at least twenty-eight concerts for her, and she became well known as a performer and drew large crowds to her weekend performances with the orchestra of the Pieta …show more content…
Teresa began to ask to play violin when she was four, and studied under some of the greatest teachers in Italy in her time. She then taught her younger sister, Maria, to play the violin as well. Maria soon developed a reputation as a child prodigy, and the two sisters became well known performers. They are considered the first true woman violin virtuosos, and performed until Maria’s death in 1848, at which time Teresa ended her performance career . Wilma Norman-Neruda, who was also known as “Lady Hallé”, lived from 1839-1911. She began playing violin at the age of four. She married Swedish composer named Ludwig Norman, yet maintained her career as a touring violinist, which was uncommon at the time. After their divorce in 1869, she married and toured with Sir Charles Hallé. After her husband and son died, Lady Hallé taught at the Stern Conservatory. She was also the first woman to be the first violinist of an internationally known string quartet comprised otherwise of well-known male
Although little is known about her, it is written that she proved “quid femina possit”, or “what a woman can do”. Another eighteenth century violinist that influenced music greatly was Anna Maria della Pieta, born in 1696. She was one of Vivaldi’s most talented students at Ospedale della Pieta in Venice, and orphanage who’s aim was to raise orphan girls to have practical or artistic skills. Vivaldi wrote at least twenty-eight concerts for her, and she became well known as a performer and drew large crowds to her weekend performances with the orchestra of the Pieta …show more content…
Teresa began to ask to play violin when she was four, and studied under some of the greatest teachers in Italy in her time. She then taught her younger sister, Maria, to play the violin as well. Maria soon developed a reputation as a child prodigy, and the two sisters became well known performers. They are considered the first true woman violin virtuosos, and performed until Maria’s death in 1848, at which time Teresa ended her performance career . Wilma Norman-Neruda, who was also known as “Lady Hallé”, lived from 1839-1911. She began playing violin at the age of four. She married Swedish composer named Ludwig Norman, yet maintained her career as a touring violinist, which was uncommon at the time. After their divorce in 1869, she married and toured with Sir Charles Hallé. After her husband and son died, Lady Hallé taught at the Stern Conservatory. She was also the first woman to be the first violinist of an internationally known string quartet comprised otherwise of well-known male