A publisher causes a furore – Furore Verlag celebrates its 35th 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 2021 Furore will celebrate its 35th anniversary. Today Furore is still the only music publisher of its kind, publishing in the region of 2.000 compositions from various epochs by approximately 170 women from Europe, America, Asia and Australia. Our “oldest” composer is the Italian Francesca Caccini, who was born in 1587 in Florence. The youngest composer of our publishing house is Chia Meng Lin (born 1978 in Changhua, Taiwan).
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 35 years Furore has been able to very convincingly disprove this assumption.
Meanwhile, there are important signs of public recognition: 2012 Renate Matthei was awarded the German Federal Cross of Merit. 2015 she was awarded the Soroptimist Germany price. This award she received for her “publishing activities and her work for the often overlooked female music scene”. And in 2012 she was awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.
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.
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.
Compositions by Prof. 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. Hope Lee was born in 1953 in Taiwan. Since 1967 she has been living in Kanada. She describes herself as an “intercultural scientist“.
Furore has already been awarded the music publisher’s prize “Best Edition” five times: in 2015 for “Shout up with your song! Songs from the Women’s Movement”, 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.
The 33-year anniversary in 2016 is a good opportunity to introduce 33 string quartets of furore composers of different eras. The string quartet is one of the most prominent chamber ensembles in classical music, with most major composers, from the mid to late 18th century onwards, writing string quartets. Women composers from the 18th to the 21th century have written string quartets in a wide variety of styles. Furore Verlag would like to make them well-known.
The following projects Furore has successfully supported in the last years: First, the international competition for women composers at the Nuremberg University. Second, the interpretation competition Peredur at the Music Academy Kassel. For the first time in 2014 all music students at least have to play one work of a women composer.
It should be understood that works by female composers can be heard in concerts, radio and television programs and in semester final concerts. And here are you, dear listeners, asking, if not required, to act: let the music by women composers at all events that you organize, play. Take the works on in your research programmes. This will help the composers and improve the living conditions of women composers.
Please contact us for more information.