Introduction

Context: A Need for Musicological Historiography

Throughout history there have been many successful women composers. Unfortunately, historically, musicologists have left women out of the music history narrative which is taught to music students in conservatories and music colleges throughout the Western world. I desire to help construct a new, more inclusive narrative which incorporates many of these accomplished women. I plan to achieve this aim by composing a liturgical organ concerto inspired by music by women composers throughout history. I also want to use my dissertation as an opportunity to write for myself as an organ soloist. This process will allow me to bring together all the different facets of my doctoral studies (composition, theory, and organ).

 

Inspiration and Origin of the Project

            I have always been drawn to writing concerti for specific soloists. During my time at The Boston Conservatory, I wrote a marimba concerto in collaboration with a percussionist. Working so closely with a soloist on such a big work is a life-changing experience as a composer. During the process, the music has to be tailored directly to the talents and skills of that particular player. After many years of not having the opportunity to write a concerto, I am ready to embark on another concerto project.

            I attended the Church Music Institute Summer Intensive and Retreat in August 2023. The resident organ faculty member at the program performed a recital in which he assigned different J.S. Bach chorale harmonizations to different parts of the Ordinary of the Mass. I was impressed by this concept, but I knew I could take this idea and create something that advocates for women composers. As I did in my DMA Theory Treatise, I will investigate the music and lives of selected women composers throughout history and create a new work that will encourage a new generation to learn more about them and their music.

 

Significance and Purpose of the Project

            This project has two main aims. Firstly, I hope to make audiences more aware of the accomplishments of the featured women composers and their music. I hope my concerto contributes to a historiographical reconstruction of the musicological narrative. Currently, the main composers in the prevailing narrative are males. There were many successful women composers throughout history and, consequently, music history textbooks should reflect that.

            Secondly, there is a lack of organ and orchestra repertoire that can be used in both liturgical and concert settings. I hope that this addition to the canon will be beneficial to both concert and church organists. I hope to combine these sociological and practical aims to create a work that is beneficial to the religious and academic communities and society as a whole.

 

Scope

            The concerto will be for solo organ and string orchestra. It will be around 30 minutes with each of the six movements lasting around 5 minutes. Each movement will be based on a different text of the Ordinary of the Mass (Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Agnus Dei, and Benedictus). Each movement will be inspired by a different woman composer from a different historical musical period: Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179), Maddalena Casulana (1544-1590), Isabella Leonarda (1620-1704), Elisabetta de Gambarini (1731-1765), Clara Schumann (1819-1896), and Jeanne Marie-Madeleine Demessieux (1921-1968).