Sherry's Quarter Notes Women's History Month: Watch Free Films That Celebrate Women in Music

 

Film has played an important role in my relationship with music history, both as a viewer and as an historian and preservationist. The medium provides an unparalleled opportunity to reach broader, more diverse audiences.

Documentaries, biopics and concert films help convert casual viewers into dedicated fans who want to take action on behalf of their favorite music. They’re vital resources for preservation and advocacy efforts as consumers, volunteers, donors and patrons.

Since March is Women’s History Month, I thought I’d select two films, both free and readily available, that highlight women in music history. I hope they inspire you!

 

Women Composers (2018)

Watch: https://tubitv.com/movies/705461/women-composers

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7803112

The documentary, Women Composers, follows German pianist Kyra Steckeweh on her journey to discover more about the lives and careers of four pioneering women from France and Germany: Mel Bonis, Lili Boulanger, Fanny Hensel and Emilie Mayer.

Prominent in the 19th and early 20th Centuries, these women were fluent in multiple instruments and composed music in various classical formats including symphonies, concertos and sonatas. The most recognized is Fanny Hensel, sister of composer Felix Mendelssohn, who himself admitted she was the more gifted pianist. She authored over 450 compositions.

The film discusses their biographies in context, offering glimpses of their music and an honest look at the injustices still facing their performance and publication. While suppression during their lifetimes was unprecedented, it continues to happen enough today to prevent these women, and others, from gaining the visibility and recognition they deserve. 

Primary obstacles are systemic. The classical music industry staunchly promotes a dominating cannon of male composers (ie. Mozart, Beethoven, Bach). Women are also virtually non-existent in music education curricula. They’re communicated as “optional” or “other” while it’s instilled in us from an early age that their male counterparts are “essential listening.”

All of this results in a lack of interest, resources and investment in music written by women. Women Composers makes the case for their inclusion based on merit, but also as a social commentary on the contemporary issue of deconstructing patriarchy.

My Darling Vivian (2020)

Watch: https://pluto.tv/en/on-demand/movies/65b93d5a9fa8300013ad021e

IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7432980

When I think of women in music history, I don’t think only of composers and musicians. There’s a subgroup far more forgotten and underrepresented. They haven’t written or performed any music themselves, but in their silence, they have a unique voice and soundtrack all their own.

My Darling Vivian is a work of recognition and vindication for Johnny Cash’s first wife, Vivian Liberto. She was all but erased by Nashville and Hollywood to suit the more popular narrative of “The Man in Black” and second wife, June Carter. This film is one of those rare gems I discovered at the height of the pandemic.

In 2020, the SXSW Festival was held virtually and they gave audiences free limited access to featured films via a partnership with Amazon Prime Video. I watched My Darling Vivian and enjoyed it so much that I decided to reach out to the creative team for a brief Q&A to include with my review (this content is available via subscription on my website).

Producer Dustin Tittle responded to my inquiry with enthusiasm. I didn’t realize initially that he was Johnny and Vivian’s grandson! It’s the family connection between the filmmaking and subject that adds another dimension to My Darling Vivian, making it a truly great film. Johnny and Vivian’s four daughters, including Dustin’s mother and three aunts, gave their blessing for the project and participated as interviewees.  

We all enjoy the Oscar award-winning performances in Walk the Line with Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon, but as with any biopic, it’s necessary that we look beyond the script to find truth in the lives that appear on screen. In most cases, I’ve found that the fact is far more fascinating than the fiction!