Over the past 30 years, musicologists have produced a remarkable new body of research literature focusing on the lives and careers of women composers in their socio-historical contexts. But detailed analysis and discussion of the works created by these composers are still extremely rare. This is particularly true in the domain of music theory, where scholarly work continues to focus almost exclusively on male composers. Moreover, while the number of performances, broadcasts, and recordings of music by women has unquestionably grown, these works remain significantly underrepresented in...

This collection of in-depth analytical essays celebrates music by female composers from the twelfth to nineteenth centuries. The essays, written by leading music theorists and musicologists, examine select compositions in detail, collectively establishing a foundation for new scholarly research into outstanding compositions created by women.