Music by women, but not for women only

BY LINDA DeNICOLA
Staff Writer

There is a deep vein of unmined gems running through the history of classical music. It is the golden music of women composers stretching back at least as far as the 12th century German composer Hildegard von Bingen. Hildegard of Bingen, 1098-1179, produced major works of theology and visionary writing at a time when few women were accorded professional respect. She founded a convent where her musical plays were performed.

Honoring women composers like von Bingen is something that has become a passion for pianist/lecturer Elaine Vander Plate Held. She has been involved with their music for over 20 years and has been actively promoting this undervalued music for the past five years.

"I want to write women back into musical history," Held said.

As a result, she created the Honoring Women Composers concerts five years ago and is about to present the fifth annual concert at the Unitarian Universalist Meeting House in Lincroft on March 28 at 4 p.m.

This year, Sylvia Glickman, a composer, author and publisher of Hildegard Publishing, named after von Bingen, will be a guest performer. Glickman will talk about her life as a female composer and her creation of a publishing company that only publishes works by women composers.

"We are so excited that she is coming. She’s a fascinating, and very talented woman," Held said.

There are a number of other additions to this year’s concert. Held will not be the only performer playing the music of these remarkable women. The program also includes two men who will be playing compositions by women—saxophonist Scott Wright, Long Branch, will be accompanied by pianist Mark Cook from Tinton Falls. In addition, two local opera singers, Marybeth Hazel, a mezzo soprano who lives in Red Bank and Terri Thomas, a soprano from Asbury Park, will perform duets and solo pieces with Held’s accompaniment.

After the introduction by Glickman, Held will play the composer’s composition, written in 1990, called "Dances and Entertainments," which includes "Dance of the Earth," "Dance of Air," Dance of Fire" and "Dance of Water," as well as "Entertainment and Sarabande," "Entertainment and Waltz" and "Entertainment and Rag."

"This music is quite contemporary," Held said, adding, "During one of the movements, you strike the strings with a mallet."

In addition, the concert will include the works of Margaret Ruthven Lang whose life spanned the years 1867-1972. "Her ‘Nonsense Rhymes and Pictures’ are short and easy, a perfect complement to the more complex work of Marion Bauer, who was composing around the same time, Held said, adding, that she plans to include the pictures, by Edward Lear, in the program. Hazel will sing the lyrics and Held will be at the piano for both pieces.

Other composers include Fernande Decruck, Sonata in C Major (1808-1836) Wright and Cook performing; Maria Malibran (1808-1836) Il Mattino (The Morning), "Le Prisonnier"; Pauline Viardot (1821-1910) "Habanera" and "Separation," performed by Thomas and Hazel with Held at the piano; Marion Bauer (1882-1955), "Four Songs" with Hazel and Held; and Florence Smith Price (1887-1953) Piano Sonata in E Minor, Held.

Held has a master of church music degree from Westminster Choir College in Princeton with triple performance majors in piano, organ and choral conducting. She lives in Bradley Beach and is the director of music at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Lincroft.

In order to reach a wider audience, she recently performed the Honoring Women Composers concert at the College of the Ozarks, in Branson, Mo., to help inaugurate the opening of their new per­forming arts center. "It was an opportu­nity to talk to students and faculty about women composers and to play the music from my upcoming CD ‘Rediscover.’" This new recording contains the piano solo music of women composers from 17th century to the 20th century. "I called it Rediscover because the composers on this CD, Elisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre, Mar­ianne Martinez, Clara Wieck Schumann, Florence Price Smith and 3 Rags by three dif­ferent Ragtime women composers, were all very popular in their day." However, we, in the 21st century, may be just dis­covering them.

Held said the CD-ROM will be called Vol. I, because the next one is already in the works. Volume 2 will include vocal music of women composers, performed by Held’s daughter, Kirsten Leigh Seitz, a soprano.

Like von Bingen, music is extremely important to Held, and to all of the per­formers in this concert. Hildegard de­scribed it as the means of recapturing the original joy and beauty of paradise.

Refreshments will be served after the concert at the Meeting House, 1475 W. Front St., Lincroft. The suggested dona­tion is $15 for adults; $10 for students and seniors and free for children under 12 years.

For tickets call the Meeting House at (732) 747-0707.