\”That great and overwhelming woman is weak as a composer\” – Do you guess who the composer is?

A teenage dark-braid girl looks at the camera in a photo taken at a photo shop. — Composer at the age of 15.

One hundred years ago, the composers had to experience disdain, discrimination and public mockery. We pick up coarse press writings.

If a woman wanted to compose in the early 20th century, she had to endure a lot of opposition. We pick up newspaper stuff from one composer. Test if you recognize the composer from the tips!

High composer training, still barked as a hobbyist

*\”Mrs. Controller has more willingness and enthusiasm than the ability to create clear compositions. \\ .. \\ We recommend her serious instrument learning.\” (Väinö Pesola, Finnish Social Democrat 13.1.1936)**

Sibelius was good, trolls and holders do not

*\”Perhaps the author has made his artistic work the goal \\ .. \\ loves every (OBS!) Marble Ear that understands his word. Unfortunately, the signed cannot have such a nerveless hearing.\” (Särrä or Sulho Ranta, Ilta-Sanomat 11.3.1938)**

The woman was hired as a conductor, then came to the street head

*\”That big and overwhelming female composer\” The name removed \\ has made the intendent promise to promise the city orchestra to be run at a folk concert .. (Composer-Choir Director Väinö Pesola’s diary entry from October 1938)**

– The symphony orchestras were very male -winning. In a society of the time, it was subversive that a woman would take the lead to take the lead, Koivisto-Gaasik explains.

Four women in Hungarian costumes, one has a guitar in his hand. — Members of the Helsinki Female Orchestra at the Hungarian Evening Concert in May 1943.

Our composer-conductor solved the matter by setting up the first female orchestra in the Nordic countries, the Helsinki Women’s Orchestra, which she led for over 30 years. In the women’s orchestra, she brought up her own compositions and experienced an encouragement that did not come from male colleagues.

*\”Forgive now, but it came to think about what the orchestra could get if the man was a man.\” (nickname A -Sat (possibly Otto Al’antila), Time Direction 11.3.1939)*

The audience loved but male critics insulted

*\”If the composition technology side has made and confirmed, instead, the factor of the\” enchanted belt \”as a creative composer does not offer any more than before. The lack of a musical verb is at a time .. \\ .. \\ The feeling of helplessness \\ .. (Uuno Klami, Helsingin Sanomat 13.3.1939)**

The audience liked what they heard, but the critics criticized. Then the Winter War began, and the ballet forgot for over 85 years until this winter came to life at the Helsinki City Orchestra concert.

Musicians sit and stand on the stairs. In the foreground, a woman has accordion in her arms, behind two female violins and a man. — During the war, the composer appeared near the forefront, including playing accordion.

Determination and left -wing sympathies added water to the bully’s mill

If you didn’t know, no wonder. As the composers of most history did, the name and music of this composer were forgotten after his death.

– He was a very vigorous and powerful personality and refused to give up. In addition, he influenced the left -wing circles at a time when the Finnish cultural circles were quite white. The combination of gender, personality and left-wing symbols influenced how Heidi Sundblad-Halme was treated, says Nuppu Koivisto -asik.

Marriage couple Heidi Sundblad-Halme and Toivo Helge Halme sit indoors, Heidi reads a book, Helge is on the desk. — Husband, lawyer Toivo Helge Halme supported Heidi in composition. The couple had a joint influence, among other things, in the fire carriers. After 26 years, the union ended.

Fortunately, Finnish music and listeners Susanna Välimäki and Nuppu Koivisto-Kaasi Research Project and Book * The Women in Finland from the 19th century to the 20th century * (2023) composed in Finland have raised a large number of forgotten composers in history.

How many points did you get? Comment in the discussion section below.

*Thursday 8 May * *Yle Klassical Channel * * *plays only music composed by women from early morning to night. History composers’ music is also heard throughout the week. In the morning call of Yle Radio 1, in the afternoon, and in the New Albums program 10.5.*