Episodes
Unsung Heroines: Danielle de Niese on the Lost World of Female Composers (BBC Four Sun 15 May 2022)
Danielle de Niese delves into the lives and works of five female composers from the Middle Ages to the Late Twentieth Century who were well-known during their lifetimes but whose work was forgotten later. Western classical music has a reputation for being dominated by male geniuses, but the truth is that women have always composed.
All of them, including Hildegard of Bingen, Francesca Caccini, Clara Schumann, Florence Price, and Elizabeth Maconchy, fought to achieve their goals and overcome the obstacles that society threw in their way, but then faded into obscurity, with only a few regaining recognition. Contributors include pianist Lucy Parham.
Airdate: Sunday 15 May 2022 at 7.00pm on BBC Four.