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Open Right

Anna Goldsworthy: Art is not for Women

Session Info:

After a prodigious childhood in which she was hailed as the musical equal of her brother, Felix, Fanny Mendelssohn was gently nudged out of the limelight as adulthood approached: ‘Music may perhaps become [Felix’s] profession,’ wrote her father, ‘while for you it can and must only be an ornament, never the root of your being and doing.’ I was first drawn to Fanny Mendelssohn’s story when my trio, Seraphim, began work on her flamboyant piano trio. But it’s not just the soundtrack that fascinated me: it’s also the story. It speaks to that vexed question: where are the great women composers?

Suitable for all demographics, from high school students and up. Of particular interest to women, and appreciators of music. This talk has been presented on ABC Classic FM and at the Australian National Academy of Music.

Topics:

Fanny Mendelssohn through her music and letters.