Music In The 19th Century Essay

Men and women were both able to receive music education in the nineteenth century; however, men were usually trained to create music that could lead them to a career, while music was looked at as only a hobby for women. If one were to look only at the surface of the history of music in the nineteenth century, he or she would find that men mainly dominated the industry. Women were often discouraged from taking formal music lessons and it was even questioned at one point if music should be a part of a young girl’s education at all. Many men believed that women were unable to excel in higher-level music careers, whether it was because of education or the typical female makeup. Nonetheless, there have been various women who were determined and excelled against the odds. In the nineteenth century, music became a part of women’s education. Music was mainly considered a social skill for women until it was introduced to education. Women usually learned keyboard instruments, harp, and guitar, and were taught how to sing, but they were not trained as professionals. The part music could play in a woman’s life was determined by gender roles. Public performance was viewed as immodest so the typical women’s etiquette determined the role music played in their lives. One interesting fact is that many private female academies placed a greater emphasis on …show more content…
Men had the upper hand when trying to break into careers in the music industry because their education was more career-oriented. Women’s music education was much more controversial and ultimately occurred at home the majority of the time. Nevertheless, there were females such as the previously mentioned women who surpassed expectations and succeeded in the industry. Ultimately, music education, perseverance, and a person’s general personality all worked together to determine if one would be able to become a successful