about muses ninemuses nine: eight american composers plus one pianist is a disc of music by American women, interpreted and performed by pianist Becky Billock. The disc was released in April 2010, and has received critical acclaim from some of the top music magazines. Read reviews for musesnine tracks listen to track previews Spiral Journey (1995) 7:18 by Diane Thome (b. 1942) Medium Piano: Preludes of Pace (2010) 3:50 by Molly Joyce (b. 1992) Toccata for Piano (1979) 5:23 by Emma Lou Diemer (b. 1927) Six Preludes, Op. 15 (1922) by Marion Bauer (1882-1955) Quietly (for left hand alone) 2:22 Allegretto Grazioso 2:05 Very Fast 1:12 Vigoroso 2:39 With Deep Feeling 2:10 Exuberantly, Passionately 2:35 Lament (1999) 6:06 by Ellen Taaffe Zwilich (b. 1939) Dreaming Op. 15, No. 3 (1892) 4:20 Honeysuckle Op. 97, No. 5 (1922) 2:36 Scottish Legend Op.54, No. 1 (1903) 2:53 From Blackbird Hills Op. 83 (1922) 4:32 by Amy Beach (1873-1944) Mephisto Rag A Ragtime Fantasy on “Mephisto Waltz” (2000) 7:35 by Libby Larsen (b. 1950) Troubled Water (1967) 5:22 by Margaret Bonds (1913-1972) listen to track previews |
Women’s music is music. And yet, there is value in celebrating the works of women. It’s important to me: the first time I played a piece written by a woman—and even more so the first time I played a full recital program of music by women—I thought I would explode with pride. These are my people! It’s important for the two daughters I’m raising: gender never goes unnoticed by them. I’m routinely required to change the gender of the characters in stories (if you pay attention you’ll notice that a vast majority of important characters in children’s books are male). It’s important for my students: my goal is to produce a new generation of pianists that do not ask, when seeing the name of an unfamiliar composer, “Who is he?” And my hope is that it will be important to you.
My parents recently gave me the series of beloved LPs that I grew up with. I listened to these records over and over again as a child and have incredibly nostalgic memories of the set, so I was thrilled with the prospect of owning them myself. Over the years the title of the set slipped from my memory so you can imagine, then, the twinge I felt when I saw the bold letters on the side of each box: “The Great Men of Music.” After some inner debate I decided that the appropriate approach would be to clear out a nice area on the shelf next to the “The Great Men of Music” and start filling it with “The Great Women of Music.” I hope the musesnine recording will be only the first of my efforts to fill that space. |