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Clara Schumann: Identity Constructed And/Or Performed In Music

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How is identity constructed and/or performed in music and culture (e.g. class, race, gender, sexuality, nationality)? Does your example challenge or conform to dominantly held truth assumptions about identity? To what extent did Clara Schumann challenge the gender roles in composition and performance during her lifetime? Intro In this essay I want to explore how Clara Schumann, and other female composers of the time, challenged and conformed the gender roles that were set in the Romantic era. He challenges the gender roles just by composing but did not because she didn 't focus on it (she just didn 't try/ couldn 't try) Schumann wasn 't keen on the idea of Clara composing As a female, Clara Schumann, would have found it hard to become respected …show more content…

Her father 's teaching (ways of teaching) Clara born1819 He made sure she learned everything she needed to know to write and perform music. Started tuition with Weick when 6 (worked alone with him) Did not learn music till 1 year later encouraging her to focus on her tone, musical phrasing and to concentrate on position (2001:21) 3 hours a day at the piano (1 teaching, 2 practicing) She attended 2 primary schools but Weick restricted her hours so she could concentrate on her playing She had a great start because she was taught well and knew nothing else allowing her to grow up with the confidence that she was good. Compare with Fanny (never had the same encouragement, her brother got all the attention) (2001:21) Feminist movements During the romantic era the feminist movement is first seen. As Kat Powell says in her article 'the Romantic atmosphere, vibrating with ideas about individual liberty, seemed ideal for recognizing women as deserving equals. ' Came to a head in late romantic period with the suffragette movements As a female in the 1800s it was hard to become known. It was mainly because of her father and Schumann and the connections they had that Clara became known. Easier to

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