Sexualisation of women in the classical music industry

62113 Views 575 Replies 60 Participants Last post by Becca, 7 mo ago

ComposerOfAvantGarde

Discussion Starter · Nov 30, 2014

Time and time again people have certainly opined on the presentation of female performers, wether it be Yuja Wang's dress, Lara St. John's CD covers or Anne Sofie Mutter's pose (recently those violinists were pointed out in the worst cd covers thread). Each of these cases, according to different people, have come down to a general conclusion that sexist inclinations of today have influenced their physical appearance (on varying levels). Even on this site there have been debates as to modesty on stage, the importance of appearance, wether women should conduct an orchestra and so on, which all end up boiling down to the same (if not a similar) debate.

What say you, TC, on the topic of sexualisation of women in the classical music industry?

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brotagonist

· #12 · Nov 30, 2014 (Edited)

One needs to differentiate between beauty and sexualization, between gorgeous and trashy. There is no reason why a beautiful woman shouldn't look beautiful on her album covers, if that is how she wants to look. While it seems incomprehensible, she might also choose to look otherwise. I am more susceptible* to beauty, than I am to trashiness

I think Anne-Sophie Mutter's album covers are of the former sort.

At the public library (or on free streaming services), I might be inclined to pick an album for (the beautiful image on) its cover, but I would be just as inclined to reject an album for (the trashy image on) its cover.

When I am purchasing, however, I am buying the music. The way I shop determines what I get: availability of required works at my price point; and chance discoveries at used record shops. These are all of Mutter's albums in my collection (the first two were lucky finds at used record stores; the last one was deliberately ordered for the compositions):

Musical instrument Violin family Coat Dress Font

*:lol: It depends on the overall presentation.

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brotagonist

· #21 · Nov 30, 2014

Weston said:
Well, I for one need a comprehensive list of these trashy sexualized covers so I can judge for myself.

I seem to recall one, although I would find it difficult to describe as sexy, of an Asian woman in some sort of get-up that makes her look like she has a head-to-toe tattoo :lol:

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