Piano Heroines

Following an album for Alpha dedicated to her American roots (Alpha1071), pianist Claire Huangci now turns her attention to female composers: "The realities these women faced are barely imaginable for modern women in this field." Clara Wieck (who took the name Schumann after marrying Robert in 1840) was a mother of eight, the family's primary breadwinner, and constantly on tour. Fanny Hensel composed largely in private and often published under her brother's name. Amy Beach's career was virtually brought to a standstill during her marriage; she only returned to the stage after her husband's death. Florence Price faced both racial and gender discrimination and later raised two children on her own. Over the centuries, the voices of these women reach us thanks to musicians like Claire Huangci: "In their music, we don't just hear history. We hear transformation. 'Heroines' is my way of listening to them and adding my voice to theirs."