A Playlist in Tribute to the Women of Classical Music

By Anna James

An accomplished pianist and prolific composer, Florence Price became the first Black American woman to have a symphony performed by a major orchestra in 1933. While racial and gender barriers at the time would result in an uphill battle for Price to gain widespread attention, she is undoubtedly one of the most important figures in American music history. Quintet in A Minor rings true to much of her work as she’s known for drawing on concepts from African American spirituals. This recording features the Catalyst Quartet with the incredibly talented pianist Michelle Cann, who graced us with her piano prowess alongside the Seattle Symphony this past January!

Fondly held in esteem as Seattle Symphony’s 2021/2022 season Artist in Residence, Reena Esmail engages her cultural heritage for Jhula Jhule, drawing inspiration from Indian folk songs for a unique and refreshing compositional adventure. Sliding tones intrinsic to the idiom begin the piece and lay the foundation for a breathtaking listen.

We’re thrilled for Caroline Shaw to be joining us on April 7, 2023, for an Octave 9 Series performance, Graveyards and Gardens! Get a small taste of the Shaw experience with Blueprint featuring the all-women ensemble, Aizuri Quartet.

Valerie Coleman’s Requiem Milonga is truly magnificent, and in her words it's “a song of longing and remembrance for those who have loved and lost.” Playing flute in this recording is South African star Khanyisile Mthetwa.

German composer Clara Schumann is crucial to the landscape of 19th-century Romanticism. Her reputation as a virtuosic pianist is apparent in this selection, her First Piano Concerto, which she composed as a teenager and played in 1835 with the Gewandhaus Orchestra Leipzig and Felix Mendelssohn as conductor. The brilliant British pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason provides her deep understanding of the piece alongside the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic.

I say this with complete reverence and a deep appreciation for the fiery and meticulous dedication to her craft — Yuja Wang is the G.O.A.T.! In praise of her visit to Benaroya during Seattle Symphony’s 2021/2022 season, enjoy Yuja on timeless enrichment of the soul, Alexander Scriabin’s 24 Preludes for piano, Op. 11: No. 11 in B.

In this selection, the supremely gifted violinist Esther Abrami presents a rich interpretation of Romance for Violin and Piano by Amy Beach, another significant figure in America’s musical timeline. In 1896, Beach became known as the first American woman to have a work published, for her piece Gaelic Symphony, which was performed by Seattle Symphony in the 2021/2022 season.

Pay close attention to  pianist, composer, environmental activist and native of Easter Island Mahani Teave — she’s a name you’ll be hearing again very soon. I he-a Hotumatu la serves as a profoundly beautiful reflection of Rapa Nui musical tradition.

Oh, Hildegard von Bingen! Despite being born over 900 years ago, she’s easily one of the most identifiable names in Western music history.  When she wasn’t busy “girl bossing” as German Benedictine abbess, philosopher, visionary, mystic and writer, she wrote numerous compositions and even one of the first musical plays! Enjoy this arrangement of O virtus sapientiae performed by outstanding cellist, Raphaela Gromes.

We’ll end this journey on Gabriela Lena Frank’s Coqueteos, a bold and expressive piece showcasing her compositional style, which honors her Peruvian heritage and represents a cultural confluence emblematic of an exhilarating future for classical music.

To view the full playlist and add it to your own Spotify library, click here.