Great Women Rulers of Music

12" Wooden Ruler made in U.S.A. of American-grown basswood. Including composers and conductors, instrumentalists and vocalists, this ruler celebrates the contribution made by women to Western classical music. The list is fascinating. Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) was a Benedictine abbess, writer, poet, and composer who lived in 12th-century Germany. In our day, no monophonic music, meaning music consisting of a melody without accompanying harmony, is more often recorded than hers. One of the best-known musicians on our ruler is Elisabeth-Claude Jacquet de la Guerre (1665-1729), who composed for harpsichord (she was an outstanding player), but who also wrote violin sonatas and vocal music. Jenny Lind (1820-1887), an opera singer known as “The Swedish Nightingale”, came to America in 1850 at the invitation of P.T. Barnum, and donated all her proceeds from the tour to charities. (Barnum on the other hand made a handsome profit.) The first symphony ever to be composed and published by a