Louise Farrenc's obscurity is no longer defensible. In her lifetime, luminaries like Schumann, Joachim, and Fétis praised her music--seriously, what more insightful nineteenth-century critics can you ask for? She was, by all reports, one of the top pianists in the world and perhaps the most successful instructor at the Paris Conservatory. I'm still getting to know her work (my favorite so far is the famous Nonet, which you'll find in a couple of different performances right here on RU-vid), and come on--if a man had written all of this, he'd be in the standard repertoire today.
I totally agree, I studied undergraduate and graduate in classical music composition in university de Montreal, Quebec so we're French-speaking just like Louise Farrenc. Never once have I heard her name pronounced, let alone was I asked to listen or read one of her score, even less study it. But as I listen to her stuff I'm thinking that this as good or even better to my taste than some of the better know composers of that time... all men of course. It's time that music history be... not re-written but at least better written, I guess. I will certainly listen to the nonet, if you have other suggestions I would be happy to hear them.
I have big interests in classical music and studied it in "Music Concentration" in HighSchool... Ive NEVER HEARD a Woman's name ...! Google made a day for another woman !(the 1st i heard/read! 5mins ago!) Fanny Mandelssohn ...! Google helped a lot!!!! I'm a girl and ive always want to write something big as symphony.... One day maybe!;)
