Women musicians from the Middle Ages to the present: The transformation of the image

Abstract

The article characterizes the problem of transformation of the image of a woman in musical art from the Middle Ages to the present. The work uses both general scientific methods of research: analysis and synthesis, as well as historical methods. As a result, we consider the formation of women in musical art in the Middle Ages, the problems of salon music-making of the XVII-XVIII centuries, and the problem of transformation of the role of women in musical art at the turn of the XX-XXI centuries is characterized. As a result, it is noted that the music of the Middle Ages was defined by a cappella singing and unanimity. The most famous composer of that time was Hildegard of Bingen, who is considered the probable founder of opera. Women-troubadours - medieval poetesses, songwriters, and their performers - held a place of honor in the music of the time. The basic motifs of their songs were different: some sang the consolation of love, while others sang the suffering of one-sided love. Despite this, until the XX century, the attitude towards women musicians was biased, and the image of music was often used in literature to refer to the “new” woman, i.e., feminist.