Play Women Composers is a new digital volume, published by Pianist Magazine, comprising twelve piano works, taking pianists from elementary to advanced level. Featuring nine female composers spanning a couple of centuries, it’s perfect for those who wish to discover new and exciting repertoire, whether that be to learn or to sight-read.
The download, which is available on the Pocket Mags platform, includes the following pieces:
The Unicorn Flies by Melanie Spanswick, Minuet No. 1 from Children’s Album Op. 36 by Amy Beach, Mazurka in C by Maria Szymanowska, Melody Op 4 No. 2 by Fanny Mendelssohn, Song of Youth Op. 45 No. 1 by Agathe Backer-Grøndahl, Polka from Children’s Album Op. 36 No. 5 by Amy Beach, No. 1 from 25 Easy Etudes Op. 50 by Louise Farrenc, Tarantelle Op. 23 No. 10 by Cécile Chaminade, Summer Song Op. 45 No. 3 by Agathe Backer-Grøndahl, Méditation by Mel Bonis, Prelude in E minor by Fanny Mendelssohn, and Romance in E flat minor op. 11 No. 1 by Clara Schumann.
My piece, The Unicorn Flies, is around Grade 2 (ABRSM) level, and each piece is increasingly more demanding, both technically and musically. Six pieces include ‘how-to-play’ articles which are printed alongside the music. These have been written by Pianist Magazine’s team of writers; myself, Nils Franke, Annabel Thwaite, and Lucy Parham. Useful information about every piece is printed at the top of each score, and, at the end of the digital edition, Lucy Parham has written a fascinating article detailing Clara Schumann’s life.
Publications
Melanie Spanswick has written and published a wide range of courses, anthologies, examination syllabuses, and text books, including Play it again: PIANO (published by Schott Music). This best-selling graded, progressive piano course contains a large selection of repertoire featuring a huge array of styles and genres, with copious practice tips and suggestions for every piece.
For more information, please visit the publications page, here.
Melanie Spanswick 
This looks interesting!
This looks great!
How interesting, and what a great idea! I would love to try your Unicorn piece as well as some of the others.
I have been listening this past month every day to the work of a different woman composer. And I am pleasantly surprised by how amazing and interesting these compositions are!
What a brilliant idea. This looks like a good varied selection with lots of useful information. I look forward to trying these pieces. It’s not often that there is a publication of so much little known music.
Thanks for letting us know of this collection!
I so appreciate how you keep presenting opportunities to keep exploring!
It looks great! Thank you.
My 8-year-old daughter just started learning the piano last year, incidentally unicorn is her favourite animal. She would be elated to discover this book, it will be an inspiration to her for many years to come, spurring her on her music learning journey. Thank you for your work, Melanie!
My 8-year-old daughter just started learning the piano last year, incidentally unicorn is her favourite animal. She would be elated to discover this book. It will be an inspiration to her for many years to come, spurring her on her music learning journey. Thank you for your work, Melanie!
I keep looking for more music by female composers to add to my repertoire so this would be really useful!
This sounds a good collection to introduce students to a variety of composers they won’t have otherwise come across. I look forward to chetit out.
Checking it out!!
This looks really interesting! Is your Grade 2ish piece the easiest of the ‘beginner’ pieces, Melanie?
Hello Julia, Thank you for your comment. Yes, I would say my piece is the easiest, but there are several other pieces which are around Grade 3/4 standard, too.
Lovely to have a selection of women composers at the fingertips
Ooh that looks intersting!
Many thanks to all who took part in this competition, which has now ended. 🙂