Unsung: A History of Women in American MusicWhen the first edition of Unsung was published in 1980, Booklist called it a publishing event, and The Boston Globe declared that Unsung is a book that relies on research more than rhetoric and, as such, gives long overdue recognition to the role of women in the development of American music. Unsung became the classic text in the field; this second edition, revised and expanded, extends the book's authority to the present day by surveying a full 200 years of active women in American music. Ammer has inserted new material throughout the book, rewritten and restructured portions of the text and added two new chapters. She has added dozens of composers and performers, including women involved in ragtime and jazz from the late 1800s to the present. The book chronicles the long over-looked achievements made between 1800 and 2000 by early musical pioneers, organists, composers in several different categories from traditional to avant grade, conductors, string and keyboard players, leaders of women's orchestras, innovators in jazz and other American idioms, opera composers and conductors, teachers and musical patrons and advocates.(Singers are omitted in both editions, for they compete only with other women in their own voice parts. Rather, the book concentrates on women composers, instrumentalists, conductors, orchestra and opera managers and music educators.) Succinct biographical sketches show the influences on - and influences of - hundreds of musicians. Since the publication of the first edition, women musicians have made some important strides. Students and scholars are increasingly interested in researching and writing the history of women in music. The outlook for today's musicians has also changed. An increasing number of women perform in first-rank orchestras, a handful of women conductors have gained national attention and individual instrumentalists have won recognition. Since 1983, three women have been awarded the Pulitzer Prize for their compositions, an award previously won only by men; similarly, in 1999 the Avery Fisher Prize was given to Sarah Chang. Pamela Frank and Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, the first time in the history of the prize that any woman has been so acknowledged. As a result, some have suggested that Unsung is no longer an appropriate title for this book.Still, Ammer maintains that given the perspective of two centuries, the achievements of women musicians are still largely overlooked. |
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Unsung: a history of women in American music
User Review - Not Available - Book VerdictRevised and expanded from the 1980 version (Greenwood), this "Century Edition" of the first book to survey the role of women in American music history from 1800 to 2000 reflects the information ... Read full review
Contents
Preface to the Century Edition | 9 |
The Lady Violinists and Other String Players | 32 |
Seated at the Keyboard | 62 |
Copyright | |
13 other sections not shown
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active American appeared artists awarded band Beach became become began born Boston called career cello century chamber Chicago choral chorus church City Club College comes Company composition concert conducting conductor Conservatory contemporary continued critic debut died director early electronic ensemble Etude Europe Festival five flute formed founded four gave Hall important included interest January jazz John joined ladies late later least live major manager March married moved movement musicians notes opera orchestra organ organist performed period Philharmonic pianist piano pieces played players premiere presented principal produced published pupils received recitals Record returned reviewer School score season singers Society solo soloist songs soprano sounds String Quartet studied successful Symphony Symphony Orchestra tape taught teacher teaching took tour United University violin violinist voice woman women composers World writing written wrote York young
Bibliographic information
| Title | Unsung: A History of Women in American Music G - Reference, Information and Interdisciplinary Subjects Series |
| Author | Christine Ammer |
| Edition | 2, illustrated |
| Publisher | Amadeus, 2001 |
| ISBN | 1574670581, 9781574670585 |
| Length | 382 pages |
| Subjects | › Music / History & Criticism Social Science / Women's Studies |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |