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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Entertainment
Letters

At last, recognition for female composers

British Composer Roxanna Panufnik.
British Composer Roxanna Panufnik. ‘Music written by women has been submerged by music written by men and that has continued for centuries,’ writes Isobel Lane. Photograph: Alex Lentati / Evening Standard

The review by Charlotte Higgins of Sounds and Sweet Airs: The Forgotten Women of Classical Music by Anna Beer (Review, 23 April) clearly shows how music written by women has been submerged by music written by men, and that has continued for centuries. At last that situation appears to be changing, a little at least, with such composers as Sally Beamish and Roxanna Panufnik being given more performances. Wikipedia has a very long list of female composers. I am sure that the music of many of them is worth performance. Quakers are advised (Advices and Queries 7) “Are you open to new light, from whatever source it may come?” I think that all involved in commissioning and performing classical music should bear this in mind.
Isobel Lane
London

• Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com

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