Immigrants had played an important role in bringing new ideas from the continent ever since the reign of Henry VII. But he unpacks the assumptions of even this limited definition: OK, he’s broadly following the continental critics here in equating “musical life” with art music-not all the diverse folk traditions, such as the musical life of taverns in East Anglia. The most persistent observation on musical life in 18th-century England is that it was dominated by Handel and other immigrant composers, the implication being that native composers were too feeble, parochial, or conservative to offer them much competition. And it privileged the work of the professional secular male in concert music over all others, such as church musicians, amateurs, and women. It privileged instrumental music, especially those genres that used Viennese sonata form, over vocal music. It privileged what was perceived as the centre-Italy, Germany, and Austria- over the supposed periphery- Scandinavia, eastern and central Europe, France, the Iberian peninsula, and England.

Of course, this agenda is part of a larger one that has more to do with 19th-century cultural politics than with a proper, balanced evaluation of the total corpus of 18th-century music. Nothing on earth is more terrible than English music, save English painting. These people have no ear, either for rhythm or music, and their unnatural passion for piano playing and singing is thus all the more repulsive. He dates it back further to a pithy 1840 comment by Heinrich Heine:

What she has to say specifically about the music and the text is sharp, accurate, and telling she hears what takes place musically with unusual sensitivity.Where he tellingly probes the description of 18th-century England as “Das Land ohne Musik” (cf. All music-lovers should read it, and cheer.' The Women's Review of BooksMcClary writes with a racy, vigorous, and consistently entertaining style. No review can do justice to the wealth of ideas and possibilities book presents. Exciting reading for adventurous students and staid professionals.' Choice'Feminine Endings, a provocative 'sexual politics' of Western classical or art music, rocks conservative musicology at its core. achievement borders on the miraculous.' The Village Voice'No one will read these essays without thinking about and hearing music in new and interesting ways. A groundbreaking collection of essays in feminist music criticism, this book addresses problems of gender and sexuality in repertoires ranging from the early seventeenth century to rock and performance art.

Susan mcclary feminine endings