Review of Rosalind Appleby 'Women of Note: The Rise of Australian Women Composers' Freemantle, Western Australia: Freemantle Press, 2012, 184 pp. ISBN 978 1 928 88762 (hardback)

Abstract

As the title suggests, 'Women of Note: The Rise of Australian Women Composers' provides a sumptuous feast of facts, anecdotes, struggles and biographical information pertaining to selected women composers. However, it might have been more aptly named the 'Quiet Achievers: The Increasing Numbers of Australian Women Composers'. While not so catchy, it comes closer to the underlying narrative that tells the story of an ever-increasing number of women choosing composition as a career, without the corresponding exposure enjoyed by their male colleagues. Appleby provides a list of suggested listening, although an accompanying CD would have been a tremendous addition to the book. She points out that she approached the book with a "double focus on the music and the person" (p. 6). This focus, however, is on musical description, not analysis. If readers are looking for scholarly analysis they will be disappointed; nevertheless, it makes an excellent starting point for anyone interested in exploring the music of Australian women composers. The descriptions are detailed enough to direct the astute reader to the artists they may wish to pursue in greater musical detail.