Why were all classical music composers?

Question

For a period of 180 yrs., give and take, we were inundated by what became, famous classical music composers. Why were they all men? Likewise, for artists.(painters, sculpturers,etc)
This is a well-intended question, please. Perhaps society demanded more of women to be home-based rather than creative?
Thank you.

Answer 1

Composers were usually musicians too.
To eat and keep a roof over one's head, one had to cater to the people with money who could afford to pay for your talents.
Piano and forerunners of the piano were common instruments to bang your melodies out on, as a composer.
Remember, the patron system is something that most culturally based talents had to deal with.
Rich people wanted new compositions to present at their parties and home gatherings.
Nobles and Kings and Queens needed to furnish their palaces with paintings and statues.
The uppercrust liked their entertainment and hired poets to read and duel with words...and actors to distract them from many of their petty pursuits and dreary burdens of keeping up their estates and governments.
Mozart's sister is said to have had more talent at the piano than he did and was a child genius /prodigy as well as he.
Writers, who were also women many times had to write under male names to get published because it was looked down on for a long time for a woman to work outside the home.

Of course, being a teacher was usually acceptable for women in subjects like music and embroidery. Women were also humored in their painting endeavors in private homes and in Bohemia...but being a great talent did not always prevent an artist from starving.
Kissing up to the money did.

Seek and you will find the women in the arts in every age.

The force be with you.
Smile :)

Answer 2

Society in Europe ( from which most of us white folk descend) for the last several hundred years was a male-dominated affair. There were a couple of women of influence around ( see Liz I and the various Maries of France and Isabellas of Spain, not to mention the monumental Maria Theresa of Austria) but for the most part, we weren't given much room to say anything. This extended till the beginning of the 1800's, when women began edging their was into the fine arts. Start by looking up Fanny Henschel, the sister of Felix Mendelssohn. She was the "first" to be rediscovered as a composer. Your search will take you up to the present date, where women's compositions are being sought after and performed.
The quest for women's identity still has a long way to go. Peace and patience go with you.

Answer 3

Definitely Ludwig Van Beethoven! I've love him and his music so much. He's the most famous of the composers and a musical genius. My fave pieces: Molto Vivace & Ode to Joy from the 9th Symphony Symphony 5, 1st movement 7th Symphony, 2nd movement Moonlight Sonata Fur Elise Pathetique Symphony 3, Op 55 Eroica Egmont Overture

Answer 4

you answered it yourself! much of early classical music was sacred (church based) in which it was a male only role to compose for the church... this trend continued as it was men only who were allowed to be creative 'artists' whilst the female role was restricted to being a housewife and mother... however don't forget that women still had a massive part to play in classical music, secular music often was written about women and they were a key influence as the romantic era approached in the 19th century

Answer 5

Nice question. All answers seem spot on, too. Women did have a secondary role for all the reasons stated in the answers. Can't add much to their well researched ideas. I'll give you a star, though.

Answer 6

Good question. Clara Schumann was a composer, but about one of the only ones. She was a genius, but I don't think some ppl like her very much just because she was a composer. Curse them!

Answer 7

in their time perids, it wasn't proper for women to play instruemnts, so that is why they were mostly men. however, i believe there are a very small few who were women. and many women also inspired calssic music. orchestral songs were written by men, but we women made lyrical songs!! for example, songs like the Newry boat song, and other laments similar to this. while it wasn't proper for them to play instruments (especially woodwinds, since they had to puff out their cheeks and this was unsightly) they were allowed to sing!! that's why there's lullabies!! and laments, and other music...usually it depends on the culture. there's tons of Irish/SCottish songs that have to be by women....
also check out this link...it's got info about women composers..i found it doing a search.http://womenshistory.about.com/od/musicclassical/Women_in_Classical_Music.htm
at least that's what i found when i was doing a search.....

Answer 8

This is another slant on why most of the classical greats were men.Theory is that most had some degree of autism. check out this link.http://www.autism.org/savant.html Also autism strikes males about 4 times as often as females.

Answer 9

Yep, it was men who wrote during that era. However there has been a bit of speculation on who wrote some of Bach's songs. His wife, Anna Magdalena, may have written some of the songs that we attribute to Bach.