Provides convenient access to a body of solo, recital, concerto, and chamber music literature that will enrich the repertoire of the violinist. Includes a biographies section which briefly summarizes the life and work of women composers from the Baroque to 20th century American and International. The music section identifies and describes compositions in 12 genre categories. The discography organizes recorded works by composer and by title. Reference and Research Book News This bibliography enhances the repertoire of the violinist by providing convenient access to a new solo recital, concerto, and chamber music literature: the music of women composers. While other source books exist in which some of this information could be found, it is often incomplete or in such abundance that selection is difficult. This well-organized bibliography will not only simplify the process of obtaining such information, but it represents a valuable contribution to the relatively new study of the musical compositions of women. Violin Music by Women Composers is divided into three main sections: Biographies, Music, and Discography. Preceding these is a general alphabetical index to all the composers included in the work, with reference to information on them contained in the three main sections following. The Biographies section is divided among five eras beginning with Baroque and concluding with Twentieth Century International. The second section of the book, Music, is organized in twelve genre categories in which composers are entered alphabetically along with the titles of their compositions. Wherever possible, information is provided on date of composition, publisher and/or source, and duration; often with additional comments included. Library sources are given for manuscripts and for published music that is out of print; otherwise, a current publisher is listed. The Discography section organizes recorded works alphabetically by composer, then alphabetically by title. This section also includes a directory of recording companies. The volume concludes with a bibliography and references. Violin Music by Women Composers is a unique, up-to-date, and thoughtfully organized resource. Exploring its contents will certainly inform and add to the repertoire of violinists and their presenters.

The Church of Rome, though admitting no women to a share in performing its services, has yet made a woman the patron saint of music. The religions of antiquity have paid even more homage to the weaker sex in the matter, as the multitude of musical nymphs and fostering goddesses will show. Of Saint Cecilia herself little is known accurately. The very apocryphal legend states that about the year 230 a noble Roman lady of that name, who had been converted to Christianity, was forced into an unwilling marriage with a certain Valerian, a pagan. She succeeded in converting her husband and his brother, but all were martyred because of their faith. This it is stated, took place under the Prefect Almacus, but history gives no such name. It is unfortunate, also, that the earliest writer mentioning her, Fortunatus, Bishop of Poitiers, speaks of her as having died in Sicily between the years 176 and 180. It is doubtful whether she would have been known at all, in connection with the art, but for a passing phrase in her story, which relates that she often united instrumental music to that of her voice in sounding the praises of the Lord. Because of these few words, she is famed throughout musical Christendom, half the musical societies in Europe are named after her, and Raphael's picture, Dryden's ode, Stefano Maderno's statue, and a hundred other great art works have come into existence. The earliest inferences of woman's influence in music are to be drawn from the Hindoo mythology. According to the tabular schedule of all knowledge, found in the ancient Brahmin records, music as an art belongs in the second chief division of lesser sciences, but on its mathematical and philosophical side it is accorded a much higher position, and is treated of in the oldest and most sacred Hindoo work, the Veda. This authority tells us that when Brahma had lain in the original egg some thousand billion years, he split it by the force of his thought, and made heaven and earth from the two fragments. After this, Manu brought into being ten great forces, whence came all the gods, goddesses, good and evil spirits. Among the lesser deities were the genii of music (Gandharbas) and those of the dance (Apsarasas), who furnished entertainment for the gods before man possessed the art.

Though rarely included in traditional music history, women have a remarkable tradition as composers of Western music. This book brings together musical and biographical material on twenty-five women, from the eleventh through the twentieth centuries. Each chapter focuses on one composer, providing an introduction to her life, an analysis of her music, a checklist of her works, and a bibliography. Extensive appendices include a historical outline showing female composers in relation to their more famous male contemporaries by period and genre, and suggestions for further readings and recordings.

Solos for Young Violinists is a graded series of works ranging from elementary to advanced levels representing an exciting variety of styles and techniques for violinists -- a valuable resource for teachers and students of all ages. Many of the works in this collection have long been recognized as stepping stones to the major violin repertoire, while others are newly published pieces for further choices of study. This title is available in Music Prodigy.