Not a lot of information exists on the life of Ruth Crawford Seeger, but we do know of her music. This style of music pushed the limits of conventional musical thought, introducing new and unique tonalities and rhythms. Her music also shows the influence of her husband, Charles. This style of writing is the exact opposite of 19th century classical music, in which dissonance would be used for the 'flavoring' of conventional harmonies. Seeger's musical output mainly falls between the years 1929-1932, a very short amount of time for a composer.
Many composers take that long to complete only one or two works.
Still, she still managed to make a definite mark on music with her masterwork, the 1931 String Quartet. Written when she was only 30, this work shows maturity far beyond her years. It is said that most composers would be happy to write a work like the String Quartet at all, much less so early in life. Although Seeger had recognition in the orchestral world, she is as likely to be remembered for her work in the area of folk music. The 1930s brought turbulent times to the United States, and Seeger's focus seemed to shift from writing music to championing political causes.