6/8/2025 | Entertainment | AU
The piano has long been a symbol of elegance and refinement, a centerpiece in countless period dramas where young women delicately play for small gatherings. But beneath the romanticized imagery lies a history of quiet rebellion. For centuries, women were encouraged to master the instrument only as a domestic accomplishment, their talents confined to parlors while public stages remained largely off limits.
This year's ABC Classic 100 poll, focusing on piano music, revealed a record number of entries by female composers. It's a small but significant victory in a centuries long struggle for recognition. The stories of pioneering women like Maria Anna Mozart, Clara Schumann, and Fanny Mendelssohn remind us how far we've come and how much resistance these artists faced.
Maria Anna Mozart, affectionately known as Nannerl, once toured Europe as a child prodigy alongside her younger brother Wolfgang. Contemporary accounts praised her extraordinary talent, yet by her mid teens her performing career was effectively over. While Wolfgang became a legend, Nannerl's compositions vanished, her legacy reduced to a footnote in her brother's story. Imagine the frustration of possessing equal skill but being denied the same opportunities simply because of gender.
Then there's Fanny Mendelssohn, whose father bluntly informed her that music could only ever be an ornament to her life, never a profession. She channeled her creativity into private concerts at home, eventually publishing her works under her own name rather than her brother Felix's, a quiet act of defiance that seems tame by today's standards but was radical for her time.
Clara Schumann's story cuts deepest for me. A virtuoso who performed publicly from age nine, she had to reinvent herself as a touring pianist to support her family when her husband Robert fell ill. Even then, her compositions were dismissed as lesser than those of her male counterparts. The sheer exhaustion of constantly proving yourself in a world determined to underestimate you is something modern women still understand all too well.
What's particularly galling is how these barriers weren't about ability, but perception. As pianist Sonya Lifschitz points out, the limitations were purely social constructs. The same audiences who adored these women in private salons would have balked at seeing them command concert halls. It's a hypocrisy that echoes in today's entertainment industry, where women still face double standards about how they should behave, look, and express their talent.
The inclusion of more female composers in the Classic 100 suggests progress, but we shouldn't pat ourselves on the back just yet. When I see period dramas still framing piano playing as a feminine charm rather than serious artistry, it's clear we haven't fully shaken those antiquated notions. Yet every time a young girl sees someone like Lara Melda or Yuja Wang dominate the stage, the legacy of those 19th century trailblazers grows stronger.
Historical footnote that fascinates me? Sara Levy, great aunt to the Mendelssohns, who kept Bach's music alive through private concerts decades before his public revival. She studied with Bach's son and made his work central to her gatherings, proving how much influence women wielded behind the scenes even when barred from center stage. It's a reminder that for every celebrated male composer, there were likely women fostering the same culture in quieter ways.
Next time you hear a beautiful piano piece, take a moment to consider how many brilliant women composed or performed music we'll never hear because history wasn't ready for them. Then go listen to someone like contemporary pianist Hélène Grimaud, whose fierce interpretations carry forward that spirit of defiance, and remember how far these women have brought us one stubborn note at a time.
By Homer Keaton , this article was inspired by this source.