Less high in standard, but vastly popular, are the songs of Hope Temple,
of whose works "My Lady's Bower" and "In Sweet September" are probably
familiar in many households. Edith Cooke has found a vein of dainty
playfulness in "Two Marionettes" and other similar songs. The
productions of Kate Lucy Ward are graceful and musicianly, while
Katharine Ramsay has written some admirable children's songs. Without
enumerating more, it may be worth mentioning that the famous Patti has
tried her hand at composing songs, and that Lady Tennyson has set some
of her husband's lyrics, although he is said to have been tone-deaf and
unable to appreciate any music.
The Irish songs of Alicia Adelaide Needham are said to be exceptionally
good, and thoroughly new and local in flavour. Ireland is also
represented among women composers by Christina Morison, who produced a
three-act opera, "The Uhlans," and wrote many songs; Lady Helen Selina
Dufferin, whose songs are widely known, especially the "Lay of the Irish
Emigrant;" and Lady Morgan, born in the eighteenth century at Dublin,
and known through her operetta, "The First Attempt."
Scotland can show no great woman composer. There are a few ballad
writers besides those already mentioned, but they are of little
importance. Wales can boast one musical daughter in Llewela Davies, who
won a large collection of prizes while at the Royal Academy. Her works
include three sketches for orchestra, a string quartette, a number of
songs, and a violin sonata that received a London performance in 1894,
and was highly praised by the critics.[6]
CHAPTER VII.
GERMANY
It is only natural that the country whose composers have led the world
for more than two centuries should produce many musical women. The list
excels not only in point of length, but in merit and priority. It begins
with the nun Roswitha, or Helen von Rossow, who flourished at the end of
the tenth century, and won renown by her poetry, some of which she set
to music. But in modern times many important names are found in Germany
at a time when few or none appear in other countries.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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