May 31 - Louise Farrenc (The Musical Birthday Series, 3rd Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for May 31st are found here: Alfred Deller (2019) and Marin Marais (2020)

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 

 

 

Louise Farrenc (31 May 1804 – 15 September 1875) was a French composer, virtuoso pianist and teacher.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Women's Work

Farrenc was paid less than her male counterparts for nearly a decade.  --- Wikipedia

The Nonet was such a critical success that it gave Farrenc the courage to complain to the director of the Conservatory, Daniel Auber, about how much less she was paid than comparable male faculty. Her letter goes into detail, and it is a measure of the respect she had earned that Auber immediately agreed to raise her salary to parity.--- Barney Sherman, at Iowa Public Radio

 

Louise Farrenc’s anger ripened

When she learned her yearly stipend,

Compared to any male professor,

Was never greater, always lesser.

She copied out some resumés,

Demanded, and received, a raise.

Postcript

I wish that this P.S. or sequel

Could report les femmes were equal,

But in this century (twenty-first)

They’re still unfairly reimbursed,

Still fighting for the simple perk

Of equal pay for equal work.

 

 

 

(If you enjoy these posts, please help me, and consider sharing.

 [Also, please visit my other blog: Alternate Tales: Great Art Repurposed.]