Female Composers

Southland Times, Issue 4493, 4 December 1882, Page 4

Female Composers

It^wfU^be -Remarked,', mth...^pnsiderable., gratfficafion by a" var^Vlarge mimberbf our readers, that the,name of a My.Mrs Meadows Whii^'appearain a Veiy prominent position at theJHereford Musical Festival as one of the English composers "6f "the novelties prodnc&l^ 'iira^White is one of the few female musicians' who" have attempted the higher branch^: of heir art. The ladies known as " Clariber' and «• Giabriel" have given us many plea^g^ieees of vocal music, which have rendered their. -names as 'familar in our mouths as honaihbld words; Mme. SaintonDolbv has successfully" essayed higher flights aud*nq% -Mrs ' Meadd ws- White^ ' has set to music* Wllins*s :< ' :5 toj tha Passions,*' -and, has succeeded as well as could tiave been anticipated, in giving the charm of varied expression to* this somewhat stilted piece of artificial declamation,' the choral and orchestral r niußic b&ng particularly successful. The lady, who : is perhaps better known by the name ofjAlice Mary r _Smith; was a pupil at the Royal jfcadcmyi'of Music; VandyhaS published; some .exceedingly characteristic descriptive ballads set to appropriate music. Collins's ode may be regarded as her first attempt at composition of a higher class," and we /are glad to; chronicle its acknowledged success in graphically .depicting the passions by mearis-of music. If ; the large number of women who study mnsic, and thevery considerable proportion whU'Vafeqhiie/^high ability^ be taken into consideration, it may appear surprising that no woman has ever taken a high -position as a musical : composer. So many women are in tbe very front rank as writers of 'fiction, "while others have made their names renowned as poetesses, that it api pears surprising that few have taken to musical composition.'; It may be that great musicians, "like great ,poete, are. born, not made;" orpossibly MatViher^uisite deep study of ihe intricacies 6f harmony J counterpoint, and thorough bass, are repulsive to the majority of women; bnt now, that a lady has shown us that she can succeed in the higher branches of her art, let, us express a hope that she may not remain the" single specimen of a female composer capable' of "producing a work worthy of being performed at a great musical festival. .. '- ; - ; -- ■ *