Magdalena Brandauer: Construction of Femininity in the Songs of Ethel Smyth

This paper examines the song oeuvre of British composer Ethel Smyth (1858–1944) with a focus on the construction of femininity and the reflection of feminist perspectives in selected works. Five songs from three cycles are analysed: “Der verirrte Jäger” and “Schön Rohtraut” from “Lieder und Balladen”, Op. 3; “Tanzlied” from “Lieder”, Op. 4 (all composed c. 1877); and “The Clown” and” On the Road” from “Three Songs” (1913). Through a combined textual and musical analysis, interpreted in the light of Smyth’s biography and her involvement in the suffragette movement, the study traces the development of her engagement with questions of gender and women’s agency.
The findings suggest that although Smyth’s early songs predate her active feminist commitment, they already contain protofeminist elements, such as depictions of female figures resisting traditional roles or portraying structural oppression. In later works, these concerns become more explicit and politically charged: “On the Road” presents a militant collective of women, directly linked to the suffragette cause, while “The Clown” stages an individual act of defiance against external constraint. The analysis also identifies compositional strategies—form disruption, harmonic instability, motivic symbolism, and the dramaturgical role of the piano—that reinforce these narratives and place female experience at the centre. While Smyth’s operas and orchestral works have been studied extensively, her songs remain comparatively little researched. This paper highlights their relevance for gender-focused musicology and shows how they reflect the composer’s evolving feminist perspectives.

After completing school in 2019, Magdalena Brandauer began her studies in Vienna at the University of Music and Performing Arts and at the University of Vienna, pursuing teacher training in Music Education and German. The Bachelor’s degree was completed in 2023, with the Master’s degree scheduled for September 2025. She also pursued a degree in German Studies, graduating with a Bachelor’s in 2023 and currently working on the Master’s thesis. As part of this work, she has focused on the songs of Ethel Smyth, analysing their construction of femininity and feminist content.
Since 2023, she has been enrolled in Vocal Pedagogy at the Mozarteum University Salzburg. Her passion for singing has grown to the extent that, starting in the autumn, she will continue her training in Bremen, undertaking a Bachelor’s degree in Early Music (Voice). Throughout her academic path, a particular focus has developed on gender inequality.

Magdalena Brandauer: Construction of Femininity in the Songs of Ethel Smyth

Other events