This is a blog about music, photography, history, and culture.
These are photographs from my collection that tell a story about lost time and forgotten music.

Mike Brubaker
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A Ladies' Orchestra

31 December 2009


Here is a well dressed ensemble from around 1910. A typical women's orchestra of the early 20th century with a gentleman as the director. Note the horn player standing next to him. There are no clues as to the identity of this group but they seem like a professional group, covering all the strings, most of the woodwinds and brass, and one tympanist too.


In the late 19th and early 20th century, women had just begun to establish their musical credentials and these ladies' orchestras were mainly from the centers of artistic culture and musical education, such as Boston, Pittsburgh, Chicago, and Cleveland. Since major orchestras excluded women at this time, the ladies formed smaller ensembles that toured the country performing on the Chautauqua Circuit. Almost all were led by a man, perhaps to demonstrate a group's respectable and chaste character compared to vaudeville and theater performers.  You can learn more about the unique history of the Chautauqua here: traveling-culture/essay.htm 

I like the relaxed and slightly informal quality of this photo. It was printed in Canada as a postcard, probably between 1904 and 1918, and no doubt used for promotion of the group. Perhaps these are Canadians? By their dresses and the formal wear of their conductor, I'd date them around 1910 - 1915. The percussion is interesting too, as tympani are uncommon in photos but tubular bells are often found. What music used them? Perhaps they were more for demonstrating a "sophisticated" orchestra.

2 comments:

Judy Saxby said...

Hi Mike

Whilst browsing I found your site
My great aunt Zette (Handel) Garret (she used both names) had a ladies orchestra in the very early 20th century.Father a jeweller with 5 children, fammily orchestra at the beginning. All the children became professional musicians
Unusually she was the leader, (I have her baton) I have photos if you are interested and would email you images.

Mike Brubaker said...

Judy, thanks for the comment. Do you think this was your Aunt Zette's orchestra? I have quite a few photos of ladies bands and orchestras, many more that have been added after this one, and I am always interested in those that are identified with a name, date, and place. Family musicians were often the basis for starting a concert ensemble too.

My email address is on the sidebar.

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