Thank you so much for calling out the professional musicians who participate in this misogyny. I get so tired of getting told to ignore the trolls on the internet because they don't know what they're talking about, but a lot of times when you go to their profiles, it's people who should know better. I am especially sickened when these misogynistic comments come from professors who can pass these ideas onto impressionable students.
Reading this letter, my thoughts went on a different way. For hours I was thinking about those warnings. And a lot of questions without answers raised in me. Why those warnings? Why are they strange to me? Maybe I am from another time and another place? In 1853 Robert and Clara went to The Hague and Scheveningen. Around 100 years later I was born there, just a couple of hundred meters from the harbour of Scheveningen! So is it my age and my Dutch background, that I am not shocked? I don't know. Those warnings, perhaps they are part of the whole problem on a higher level? And the sexual remarks, I can understand them, only if they belong to boys between 13 and 17. As you see: I have a very naive opinion of mankind! Please forgive my grammar, surely there are a lot of mistakes.
It’s all very complicated, it’s true. Given the history it’s rather predictable, though in other ways it makes no sense. I’m always trying to step back from it & see as many angles as I’m able. Thanks for sharing yours.
Sarah, many years ago I read a novel titled "Clara A Novel" by the Scottish writer Janice Galloway which recounts the life of Clara and that of her husband Robert. An incredible piece of writing which brought the characters to life. You may already know about it, but I thought I would mention it just in case. Cheers!
Online disinhibition can turn even the best of people into hateful trolls. I'm sorry you keep having to deal with this. I really wish men (and it is most often male accounts) would stop being so fragile and hateful.
Thanks for your support. I really appreciate it. And I find it that every man who is supportive is worth five (or more) of the ones who are so fragile and hateful.
The hate messages are from infantile people, sad for them, they need healing. I like Clara's music. I don't care if she is not regarded as the greatest composer. I don't have puerile interest in her private life because her actions show she was a good, caring and helpful person. You are doing great work. To meet you would be a privilege.
I appreciate that very much. Perhaps we’ll have a chance to meet someday. It is one of my goals to show how Clara really was one of the greats, more than equal to the men around her. Getting past all the puerile disgustingness is one of the important steps toward that.
I find the anonymity of the Internet brings out the nastiness in some people. Best to ignore the crazies. Clara was a formidable lady and a great concert pianist whose work paid the bills. She was Robert's muse as well of Brahms certainly influencing their composing. Who cares if she was not Mozart's equal. She did compose and that's what counts. I find that in the last two decades, the creative work of women is finally come out of the shadows. More and more, Clara's work is being recorded and admired.
Thanks for being supportive. Another time I’ll discuss how Clara was more Robert’s artistic collaborator than muse with her heavy influence on his composing via her own compositions, and also how she was far more equal to Wolfgang than is generally known.
Thank you so much for calling out the professional musicians who participate in this misogyny. I get so tired of getting told to ignore the trolls on the internet because they don't know what they're talking about, but a lot of times when you go to their profiles, it's people who should know better. I am especially sickened when these misogynistic comments come from professors who can pass these ideas onto impressionable students.
Agreed. Thanks for saying so.
Reading this letter, my thoughts went on a different way. For hours I was thinking about those warnings. And a lot of questions without answers raised in me. Why those warnings? Why are they strange to me? Maybe I am from another time and another place? In 1853 Robert and Clara went to The Hague and Scheveningen. Around 100 years later I was born there, just a couple of hundred meters from the harbour of Scheveningen! So is it my age and my Dutch background, that I am not shocked? I don't know. Those warnings, perhaps they are part of the whole problem on a higher level? And the sexual remarks, I can understand them, only if they belong to boys between 13 and 17. As you see: I have a very naive opinion of mankind! Please forgive my grammar, surely there are a lot of mistakes.
It’s all very complicated, it’s true. Given the history it’s rather predictable, though in other ways it makes no sense. I’m always trying to step back from it & see as many angles as I’m able. Thanks for sharing yours.
“Her constantly modulating by major 3rd is what convinced Robert to jump in the Rhine.”
Beethoven was the 1st to do that; Schubert glommed on to it. What are these people’s problem?!?
lol I know. So illogical.
Sarah, many years ago I read a novel titled "Clara A Novel" by the Scottish writer Janice Galloway which recounts the life of Clara and that of her husband Robert. An incredible piece of writing which brought the characters to life. You may already know about it, but I thought I would mention it just in case. Cheers!
Online disinhibition can turn even the best of people into hateful trolls. I'm sorry you keep having to deal with this. I really wish men (and it is most often male accounts) would stop being so fragile and hateful.
Thanks for your support. I really appreciate it. And I find it that every man who is supportive is worth five (or more) of the ones who are so fragile and hateful.
The hate messages are from infantile people, sad for them, they need healing. I like Clara's music. I don't care if she is not regarded as the greatest composer. I don't have puerile interest in her private life because her actions show she was a good, caring and helpful person. You are doing great work. To meet you would be a privilege.
I appreciate that very much. Perhaps we’ll have a chance to meet someday. It is one of my goals to show how Clara really was one of the greats, more than equal to the men around her. Getting past all the puerile disgustingness is one of the important steps toward that.
I find the anonymity of the Internet brings out the nastiness in some people. Best to ignore the crazies. Clara was a formidable lady and a great concert pianist whose work paid the bills. She was Robert's muse as well of Brahms certainly influencing their composing. Who cares if she was not Mozart's equal. She did compose and that's what counts. I find that in the last two decades, the creative work of women is finally come out of the shadows. More and more, Clara's work is being recorded and admired.
Thanks for being supportive. Another time I’ll discuss how Clara was more Robert’s artistic collaborator than muse with her heavy influence on his composing via her own compositions, and also how she was far more equal to Wolfgang than is generally known.