A publisher causes a furore – Furore Verlag celebrates its 25th anniversary

At the time it was a sensation: in 1986 business woman, Renate Matthei, from Kassel in Germany founded a music publishing house which was dedicated exclusively to music and books written by and about women from various centuries. Her ambitious company has been extremely successful and in 2011 Furore will celebrate its 25th anniversary. Today Furore is still the only music publisher of its kind, publishing in the region of 1.200 compositions from various epochs by approximately 150 women from Europe, America, Asia and Australia.

When the publishing company was founded it caused a furore in the music world since it was a common prejudice that women were not able to compose. “If they could compose they would have been published. Since they haven’t been published then it must mean that they can’t compose”, was the consensus then. But with its work during the last 25 years Furore has been able to very convincingly disprove this assumption.

Right from the beginning Furore has taken on authors and writers from all over the world and Furore’s publications have been on display at international fairs and congresses. The most famous woman composer published by Furore is Fanny Hensel, the sister of Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy. More than 150 compositions of this most important woman composer of the German Romantic era have been published by Furore for the first time: large works for choir and orchestra, works for piano and chamber ensemble as well as Lieder including the widely and enthusiastically received piano cycle “Das Jahr”, which is available both as a four-coloured facsimile and as a modern edition. In November 2010 the American Symphony Orchestra played her large “Oratorio on Scenes from the Bible“ for soloists and choir in the New York Carnegie Hall.

First editions are a main focus of the publisher’s programme: Anna Amalia’s opera “Erwin und Elmire”, Wilhelmine von Bayreuth’s harpsichord concerti, the 5th Symphony by Emilie Mayer, chamber music by Louise Farrenc and Mel Bonis, just to give some examples. Furore’s programme also includes opera: for example, the fairy tale opera “Das hässliche Entlein“ (“The Ugly Duckling”) by the British composer Vivienne Olive, with a libretto by Doris Dörrie. The opera was first performed in March 2010 in cooperation with the Hochschule für Musik Nuremberg and the children’s theater “Theater Mummpitz“ in Nuremberg.

With the children’s opera “Oasis“ Furore celebrated yet another world premiere in Karlsruhe/Germany in November 2010. The opera was composed by the Israeli woman composer Tsippi Fleischer and was commissioned by the children’s choir, Cantus Juvenum, in Karlsruhe.

Compositions by Vivienne Olive, who was born in London and has been a lecturer in music for theory and composition at the Hochschule für Musik Nuremberg since 1979 are published exclusively by Furore Verlag since its foundation, as are the works by the French composer Florentine Mulsant who was born in Dakar, Senegal. Mulsant is professor for music theory at the Sorbonne University in Paris where she also lives. Her “Four Nocturnes” for orchestra will receive their first performance on June 2nd 2011 by the Philharmonic Orchestra of the City of Trier.

Hope Lee was born in 1953 in Taiwan. Since 1967 she has been living in Kanada. She describes herself as an “intercultural scientist“. In her compositions she likes to combine different kinds of art forms. Lee's works, which are also published exclusively by Furore, have been performed at many international music festivals, such as Music Today (Tokyo), Weltmusiktage, Aspekte Salzburg Festival, and the Hong Kong Festival. They have won numerous prizes and awards. Her work for orchestra “Secret of the Seven Stars” will receive its first performance at the New Music Concerts in Toronto in October in 2011.

Furore has already been awarded the music publisher’s prize “Best Edition” four times: in 2010 for the “Ausgewählte Lieder” by Josephine Lang, in 2006 for „25 plus piano solo”, an anniversary edition, in 2002 for the facsimile publication “Das Jahr” by Fanny Hensel (née Mendelssohn) and in 1996 for “Ton-Zeichen” by Barbara Heller.

To mark its 25th anniversary Furore Verlag will be presenting women composers of different epochs under the motto “25 Years Furore – 25 Women Composers”. The works of these composers will be heard in a series of portraits and concerts that will run the entire year. 

Weitere Informationen zur Verlagshistorie sowie biografische Informationen und Bilder von 25 ausgewählten Komponistinnen stellen wir Ihnen gerne zur Verfügung.