Boulanger

Nine impressive works by various female composers from a period of 450 years shed light on the different ways in which women were able to fulfil their potential in their respective times. The composer Elfrida Andrée (1841-1929), for example, worked as an organist at Gothenburg Cathedral, going against the social conventions of the time. To this day, she is the only woman in Sweden to have worked as an organist at a cathedral church. In contrast, Fanny Hensel (1805-1847) was unable to step out of the shadow of her brother Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy. The family had both siblings educated musically, but could only envisage a career for the son. This was despite the fact that the daughter was just as talented as her brother. She composed over 460 works and successfully performed countless concerts as a pianist and conductor. Surprisingly, however, there were women who were able to consistently pursue an artistic path long before Fanny Hensel and Elfrida Andrée. Vittoria Aleotti (1575- 1646), for example, was able to devote her entire life to music and even publish her own madrigals thanks to the support of her father. It is all the more astonishing that the works of composer Lili Boulanger only became known to the general public in the 1960s, although her sister, the important music teacher Nadia Boulanger, dedicated her entire life to music after her sister's early death.

Lili Boulanger wants to put the spotlight not on a woman who composes but a composer who is a woman and show the world her work, as well as the role her pieces can play in a modern atmosphere. The result is a distinctive sound world characterized by the unique musically experienceable journey of each artist as an individual, as well as a collective, showing their admiration for Lili Boulanger and translating the past into their own present sound atmosphere.

Lili Boulanger wants to put the spotlight not on a woman who composes but a composer who is a woman and show the world her work, as well as the role her pieces can play in a modern atmosphere. The result is a distinctive sound world characterized by the unique musically experienceable journey of each artist as an individual, as well as a collective, showing their admiration for Lili Boulanger and translating the past into their own present sound atmosphere.

Dutch violinist Merel Vercammen and Russian pianist Dina Ivanova release a new album of works for violin and piano by the Boulanger sisters, Bernstein, Bacewicz, and Piazzolla on 30 April 2021 on the immersive TRPTK label.