Increasing Accessibility of Literature: Women Violinists in the Eighteenth Century
Poster Number
35
Research or Creativity Area
Humanities & Arts
Abstract
Women were socially prohibited from playing violin in eighteenth-century Europe. Particularly in England, women were discouraged from professional music (except voice); violin was seen as particularly unwomanly because it distorts the chin and looks “ugly.” Nevertheless, women violinists existed: Marianne Davies (1743/4-1818), Maddalena Lombardini Sirmen (1745-1818), Gertrud Schmeling (1749-1833) [later Madame Mara], Regina Strinasacchi Schlick (1761-1839), Louise Deschamps Gautherot (1763-1808), Luigia Gerbini (1770-1818), Dorette Scheidler Spohr (1787-1834) among others. All relied on support from male figures (fathers, husbands, teachers); some stopped touring after marriagem whereas others (Gautherot, Gerbini, Davies, Strinassachi) did. Some, despite extraordinary musical talent, abandoned for another instrument (Schmeling/Mara, voice; Spohr, harp). If they played their own works (now lost), they often hid their authorship.
Despite the scholarly literature and the evident success of many of these figures from surviving concert programs, autobiographies, and contemporary reviews, little information on eighteenth-century women violinists was available on Wikipedia. Articles on women figures are generallyless well developed than for men. Some prominent women lack a Wikipedia; anonymous users also commonly delete pages on women, and editors sometimes determine these women failed the “notability” standard – which they always will in music, so long as composers are deemed more important than performers – even highly notable performers.
We edited and created Wikipedia pages for women violinists to make the literature on them more accessible. At least one new article made it through the acceptance process (Gerbini), although others were denied. We made several edits amplifying womens’ biographies and instrumental abilities, borrowing from some previously untranslated resources. Updating and improving this information can help preserve the history and make women’s accomplishments available for other researchers.
Purpose
N/A
Results
N/A
Significance
N/A
Location
Don and Karen DeRosa University Center (DUC) Poster Hall
Start Date
27-4-2024 10:30 AM
End Date
27-4-2024 12:30 PM
Increasing Accessibility of Literature: Women Violinists in the Eighteenth Century
Don and Karen DeRosa University Center (DUC) Poster Hall
Women were socially prohibited from playing violin in eighteenth-century Europe. Particularly in England, women were discouraged from professional music (except voice); violin was seen as particularly unwomanly because it distorts the chin and looks “ugly.” Nevertheless, women violinists existed: Marianne Davies (1743/4-1818), Maddalena Lombardini Sirmen (1745-1818), Gertrud Schmeling (1749-1833) [later Madame Mara], Regina Strinasacchi Schlick (1761-1839), Louise Deschamps Gautherot (1763-1808), Luigia Gerbini (1770-1818), Dorette Scheidler Spohr (1787-1834) among others. All relied on support from male figures (fathers, husbands, teachers); some stopped touring after marriagem whereas others (Gautherot, Gerbini, Davies, Strinassachi) did. Some, despite extraordinary musical talent, abandoned for another instrument (Schmeling/Mara, voice; Spohr, harp). If they played their own works (now lost), they often hid their authorship.
Despite the scholarly literature and the evident success of many of these figures from surviving concert programs, autobiographies, and contemporary reviews, little information on eighteenth-century women violinists was available on Wikipedia. Articles on women figures are generallyless well developed than for men. Some prominent women lack a Wikipedia; anonymous users also commonly delete pages on women, and editors sometimes determine these women failed the “notability” standard – which they always will in music, so long as composers are deemed more important than performers – even highly notable performers.
We edited and created Wikipedia pages for women violinists to make the literature on them more accessible. At least one new article made it through the acceptance process (Gerbini), although others were denied. We made several edits amplifying womens’ biographies and instrumental abilities, borrowing from some previously untranslated resources. Updating and improving this information can help preserve the history and make women’s accomplishments available for other researchers.
