Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1901-04-05
AN EVENING
WITH
WOMEN IN MUSIC.

The title of this article may be
slightly misleading, but the eXpana-
tiOn may be found in the reading.
BY the courtesy of the Womans club
their meeting last evening was a semi
public affair-at least there was a
much larger number OF guests present
than usual. The drift of the even
ing's entertainment was well outlined
in the thoughtful paper presented by
Miss Emma Gregg, entitled Women
in Music 1t was certainly a deliC-
ious bit OF irony to open the doors to
then gentlemen friends and then re-
gale them with a somewhat extended
list of women who had become, or
were to become. famous in the realm
of music.
Now it doubtless was true of every
gentlemen present (they all being
married) that he was fully convinced
that women can make music" but it
is doubtful if any of those masculine
appendages had the slightest conCep-
ton OF the wonderful strides by the
gentler and tremendously aggressive
sex during the 18th century, in the eX-
act science of musical composition.
1t was stated by the essayist of the
evening that a thousand or more
names of women had been cOllateu
who have been and are active, not
only in executive, theoretical, histori-
cal ana critical lines, but also in the
creative side of music" This state
ment strange to say, was not contro-
verted by anyone present because il
would not have been good form; but
candor compels the reporter to admit
that their names were not readily re,
called, although a few were mention,
ed in the course of the evening. Had
there been time the full list would
| doubtless have been read. 1t was
modestly admitted, however, that not
| until after the 10th century did women
show any great capacity for musical
| art Among the beginnings was the
introduction of opera and the active
participation therein by woman sing
ers.
AS singers they have excelled; like
wise as instructors, composers, and
pianists. In the latter class may be
cited Clara Schuman, Sophie Mentor
Carreno, Bloomfield Zeisler, Rive
| King, Aus der Ohe, and others. Like
wise as organists some have eXcelled
! and specially perhaps as violinists
| such as Urso, Leonora Jackson and
Mduut IOWtll. ne udl p, 100, mas
| proved specially attractive to women
players. AS teachers they are large
! ly in excess of men, and eminently
| successful. Marchesi of Paris. still
teaching at the age of rs, who has re
Gently visited this country, has pre-
pared more artists for the art than
any other living teacher.
AS composers the ranks are thinner
! but constantly enlarging. Among
| those of present days Chaminade is
easily first, and only 80 years of age
| Others were mentioned, viz: d'Harde
| lot, Viardot, etc, of France; Hope
| Temple of England and Frances Allit
son as well, and, among American
| composers, Mrs. Beach, whose works
have been given by the Handel and
Hayden society of Boston and by Theo
dore Thomas and Damroschs orches
tras, Miss Lang, daughter of the great
| Boston organist, pianist and leader
B. j. Lang, also Grace Mayhem, Marie
Won Hammer and others whose songs
are sung by the best artists.
The essayist referred to an article
which appeared in a London paper last
year, stating that lit is impossible to