Stefanie Boltz brings together female composers from several centuries - role models, icons, celebrated, unknown - from classical, jazz, blues and pop

You have to celebrate the festivals as they fall. In the case of singer and songwriter Stefanie Boltz, there were two major events to celebrate. A milestone birthday with female guests from near and far in a remote hut. And on the musical side, a salon was created with a select group of 12 women from several centuries - role models, icons, celebrated, but also unknown, disabled and fighters - from classical music, jazz, blues and pop. From Bingen to Bush.
The invited salon women include celebrated icons such as Joni Mitchell and Kate Bush with extraordinary interpretations of their classics such as 'Help Me' and 'Wuthering Heights'. On FEMALE, however, Boltz also brings together Alma Mahler and, in particular, Fanny Hensel, women from the classical period who are tragic cases of careers gone awry. Convictions that women should only pursue music as an adornment, but not as a profession, were almost insurmountable hurdles against which the greatest efforts were made to find ways and detours. Although not appreciated during her lifetime, let alone published, Fanny Hensel created 460 compositions and founded a salon where they were performed. In Fanny Hensel's Goethe setting 'Dämm'rung senkte sich von oben', Stefanie Boltz delves deep into the venture of harmoniously bringing together music from such different eras and styles - seemingly true to the original, very authentic and yet with plenty of scope for a free approach to the material. Alma Mahler's 'Laue Sommernacht' is even continued as chamber music.
'FEMALE is a salon that lasts', is how Stefanie Boltz feels. 'I was able to relate to every woman and artist, as different as they all are, got close to them, respectfully kept my distance, found kindred spirits. And I admired the way some of them stood up again and again and raised their voices. For me, working on FEMALE was and is awareness-raising and definitely empowerment. If this program has a similar effect on others, I would be very happy about it!'

Track Listing

• Evocation 1 - Spiritui sancto honor sit
• Help Me
• Lullaby of the Leaves
• Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out
• I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free
• Dämm‘rung senkte sich von oben
• Throw It Away
• Evocation 2 - I Still Recall
• Bessie Smith
• Blues for Ma
• Ghost of Yesterday
• Evocation 3 - It‘s me, Cathy
• Wuthering Heights
• Laue Sommernacht
• The First of a Million Tears

Additional Details

Label: Fine music

Genre: World

Run Time: 46:06 mins

Region: 0

Release Date: 06/07/24

UPC: 4014063438522