Cecile Chaminade - The first "professional" female composer

Cecile Chaminade, the first "professional" female composer

I was referred to Chaminade first by Mila Henry, my collaborative pianist on my album “Voices of Women”. Chaminade was a highly accomplished and celebrated concert pianist, as well as a composer.

This is demonstrated well in Chaminade’s composition “Plaintes d’Amour” which displays an exuberant, salon style composition for voice and piano. Chaminade was truly a master of this style, and has composed music that is entertaining, entirely elegant in its expression and sentiment. The piano part is a whirlwind of notes that only occasionally slows to allow for the ends of each stanza of the poem to cadence.

Heather FetrowAugust 14, 2019History of Women’s Art Song, Cecile Chaminade Comments

Finally, her story is being sung

For centuries women’s musical work has been hidden from view. The time has come for these stories to be sung for the all world to hear. The musical gems of women should be treasured and proudly displayed like fine jewels.

Through the musical performances and research of Heather Fetrow and her colleagues, these pearls of music history are finally receiving the adoration they deserve.

Cecile Chaminade, the first "professional" female composer