Nadia and Lili BoulangerPioneers in their fields and two of the best-known women in music in the twentieth century, Nadia and Lili Boulanger have previously been considered in isolation from one another. Yet, as Caroline Potter's new book demonstrates, their careers were closely linked during Lili Boulanger's short life (1893-1918) and there are several intriguing connections between their musical works. This biography also provides the first full analysis of the Boulanger sisters' musical styles, placing them within the context of French musical history. Their lives are also a case study in the issues of gender which surround music making even to the present day. Despite an unusually privileged upbringing, Nadia and Lili Boulanger exemplify the struggle women experienced when attempting to enter the professional music world. Lili became the first woman to win the Prix de Rome in 1913, and Nadia gained second place in 1908. Yet in spite of this initial success, Nadia Boulanger was to give up composing in her thirties and devoted the remainder of her long life to teaching. Her pupils included several of the great composers of the century, including Aaron Copland and Elliott Carter. This book, focusing on their musical careers, is essential reading for anyone interested in French music of the twentieth century. |
Contents
1 The Sisters and their Composing Careers | 1 |
2 Towards the Prix de Rome | 26 |
3 The Music of Nadia Boulanger | 65 |
4 The Music of Lili Boulanger after 1913 | 91 |
5 Nadia Boulanger as Teacher | 127 |
6 Reputations | 148 |
Appendices | 165 |
| 183 | |
| 187 | |
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Common terms and phrases
Albert Samain bars Bibliothèque Nationale bien Boulanger’s music c’est Camille Mauclair cantata career Caussade choral chord chorus ciel Clairières classes CNSM de Lyon coeur competition composer composition concert d’une dated Debussy diary Durand Fauré Fauser Faust female flute fugue Gabriel Fauré Gargenville Georges Caussade harmony Hélène Hjalmar Ibid j’ai La princesse Maleine Léonie Rosenstiel letter Lili Boulanger Lili Boulanger’s Lili’s Maeterlinck manuscript minor Mlle Monsaingeon morte musicians Nadia and Lili Nadia Boulanger Nadia Boulanger’s hand opera orchestral version Paris Conservatoire pedal Pelléas et Mélisande performed piano Piano Ex piece play poem Poulenc Prélude prem premiere prière princesse Maleine Prix de Rome prize Psalm Psaume pubd published pupils qu’il Raoul Pugno Ricordi Rome cantata Rosenstiel 1998 Roussalka scene score setting sirènes sisters sketchbook sketches soir solo soloist song soprano Stravinsky style teacher teaching texture theme v/pf Text verse violin vocal voice writing written wrote