Emilie Mayer

[Alan Howe]

The PC sounds as though it could have been written between before 1820, certainly, but I wouldn't place it pre-Beethoven. I agree, on the whole, though: her best work is to be found in the 4th Symphony - and also in No.7. On the basis of those works alone she's worthy of rescue from obscurity.

[Edward]

Edward, is your posting a wind-up or merely deliberately provocative?
I think we have travelled way beyond the idea of music being 'masculine' or 'feminine'. The image of woman as some sort of non-scientific, weak and feeble creature capable only of quaint insignificant thought is surely long out of the window.
and I think the majority of husbands will assure you that toughness and resolve is a feature of most women 

I never mentioned weak and feeble.  It is a subjective remark, and not meant as provocative.   And as to resolve?  My wife of 17 years has tons of it, so you do not have to make that argument with me either...

[Peter1953]

While listening to her wonderful Fourth (what a discovery; how subtle is the usage of solo instruments like the violin in the 2nd movement) I must say that I like her PC quite a lot... despite the rather conservative and simple style. Especially the first movement is full of energy.
Kalkbrenner would have approved her sparkling concerto and be glad to have her as a student 

[semloh]

Edward, is your posting a wind-up or merely deliberately provocative?
I think we have travelled way beyond the idea of music being 'masculine' or 'feminine'. The image of woman as some sort of non-scientific, weak and feeble creature capable only of quaint insignificant thought is surely long out of the window.
and I think the majority of husbands will assure you that toughness and resolve is a feature of most women 

I never mentioned weak and feeble.  It is a subjective remark, and not meant as provocative.   And as to resolve?  My wife of 17 years has tons of it, so you do not have to make that argument with me either...

However, it needs to be borne in mind that there was a powerful expectation in the 19th Century that women would embody what were regarded as exemplary female qualities centring around tenderness, compassion, physical weakness, homemaking, motherhood and subservience, and it took women of great courage to defy such an expectation. To the extent that a female composer's music suggested alternative qualities it would have been considered masculine, and I am sure Emilie Meyer's music was seen in such terms.

I think Mark and Alan would agree that while it is an important factor in the Unsungness of composers, any discussion of gender should be specific to UCs, and not include arguments for and against personal standpoints. It is so easy to inadvertently provoke such argument, so please tread carefully! 

[Richergar]

I have been reading today a book on the development of opera in France in the early 19th century (Opera in Paris 1800-1850 by Partrick Barbier), and by the turn of the 19th century the major French conservatory admitted virtually equal numbers of men and women in all departments (including composition), there were composition teachers who were women, and the role of Louise Bertin (she most famously wrote Esmeralda, which has a recent recording) was prominent through all of the peregrinations of the French republic/monarchy in the first half of the century. Where, in some instances, there were pastiches thrown together for  the purpose of an 'event (ie, some political commemoration), she seemed to have had pride of place in a number of these in terms of writing the last, triumphant number. So I think that generalizations are unavoidable, but  they are indeed generalizations.

[eschiss1]

the 4th symphony btw was published as, and is listed as on IMSLP, her 6th symphony - see reduced score. (The list on Wikipedia that I referred to in my opening post has been substantially revised.  )

[Mark Thomas]

Hang on, I'm thoroughly confused now. Eric, you're saying that the piece recently broadcast in newly-orchestrated guise is, in fact, not her Fourth Symphony but her Sixth? Then why have the Mayer enthusiasts who commissioned the orchestration and have been promoting the concerts and broadcasts in Germany been calling it the Fourth? Isn't it enough that the one which is available on CD as the Fifth is in fact the Seventh?

[eschiss1]

If I understand correctly, which I probably don't, it is her 4th, in B minor, but used to be called her 6th until fairly recently, and was published in a reduction by a fellow named Jurke (did the reduction), by Bote&Bock (the publisher), in 1860.  Note the list of her compositions @ Wikipedia - 4th symphony premiered 1851; 6th symphony in E major premiered 1853. (The work downloaded says "Symphonie-H-moll"). The work @ IMSLP is her "6th symphony in B minor", published 1860 in piano reduction. Yes, there's been more renumbering going on, but I think probably just to get chronology right. This is her 4th symphony, it just used to be called her 6th. _If_ I am getting this right.

These problems exist even with relatively more established composers (or at least, somewhat less obscure ones than, say, Rufinatscha and Mayer - for the longest time and maybe still now, even with Joseph Haydn... anyway... not going there any more than that...), they certainly do with the latter too...