Tanja Goldberg reveals the extent to which gender and socially constructed identity influenced female violinists’ ‘separate but unequal’ status in a great male-dominated virtuoso lineage, by focussing on the few that stood out. Goldberg provides a more complete picture of their artistic achievements and the impact they had on audiences.
Tatjana Goldberg reveals the extent to which gender and socially constructed identity influenced female violinists’ ‘separate but unequal’ status in a great male-dominated virtuoso lineage by focussing on the few that stood out: the American Maud Powell (1867–1920), Australian-born Alma Moodie (1898–1943), and the British Marie Hall (1884–1956). Despite breaking down traditional gender-based patriarchal social and cultural norms, becoming celebrated soloists, and greatly contributing towards violin works and the early recording industry (Powell and Hall), they received little historical recognition. Goldberg provides a more complete picture of their artistic achievements and the impact they had on audiences.