When looking through history we can see many composers throughout time. Most early composers were men but in the 1700s a shift was made and women started composing more music. There are many famous men and woman who composed music during the 1700s, I am going to focus on Maria Barthelemon. She was not only a composer but was a very successful singer and keyboard player throughout Ireland, London, France, and Italy. She has only a few surviving works accredited to her but they were very influential and showcase her talent. Maria Barthelemon was born in 1749 as Mary “Polly” Young.
She was born into a well-known English family. Her family was comprised of many generations of musicians. Her grandfather and great-uncle were both noble organists and composers. Maria was one of six children, two of her sisters, Isabella and Elizabeth were successful singers. Along with her sisters, she had three famous aunts, Cecilia, Isabella, and Esther. Her aunt Isabella was a successful soprano and was married to John Fredrick-Lampe a composer. Her Aunt Esther was a popular contralto and was married to Charles Jones, who was a successful music publisher in England during the 18th century.
In 1755, at the age of 6, she went to Dublin with her Aunt Cecilia, one of the greatest English sopranos of the 18th century. Accompanying them were, Maria’s sister Elizabeth, Cecilia’s husband Thomas Arne, and a few other singers. Maria made her debut that year in Thomas Arne’s opera, Eliza. It was written in Faulkner’s Dublin Journal that she pleased and astonished everyone, having a sweet voice, accenting her words, and singing in time and tune. Maria was said to be a child prodigy. She remained in Dublin for 7 years where she performed at theaters and pleasure gardens.
In 1761 she returned to London to make her London stage debut. In the fall of 1764, at the age of 14, she started singing with the Italian Opera at King’s Theater. There she met French violinist Francois-Hippolyte Barthelemon. While at King’s Theater she studied singing with the great Italian castrato, Giovanni Manzuoli. While studying under Manzuoli she performed in several operas that included arias written by the Johann Christian Bach. Between 1765 and 1766 she sang in an Italian opera, Pelopidas, written by Francois-Hippolyte Barthelemon, which was his debut as a composer.
She later married Barthelemon in 1766 at the age of 17. Between 1767 and 1769 Maria appeared in many operas with her husband and she was said to be the only non-Italian singer tolerated at the Italian Opera. In early 1770 Maria gave birth to her only child, Cecilia Maria. From 1770 to 1774 Maria and her husband continued to perform together in London. In 1776-1777 they toured Europe giving concerts in Germany, France, and Italy. They performed for the King of Naples and for Marie-Antoinette, Queen of France. The year 1776 also marked the year that Maria published her first piece of music.
In 1784 careers for her family became less successful, work became hard to find. It is believed that they were disliked because they became arrogant. In the 1790s Joseph Hayden became close friends with the family. This helped them find work again, such as performing in her husband’s concert with Hayden. Maria published more works between 1790 and 1795. She died in London on September 20th, 1799. There are 5 surviving pieces of Maria Barthelemon’s music. It is believed there were more but as was customary of the time, they were performed and distributed privately.
Her first composition was published in 1776, Six Sonatas for the Harpsichord or Piano Forte with an accompaniment for Violin, Op. 1. Although she did not primarily play the keyboard, it was normal as a European musician in the 18th century to release a set of two sonatas. This was done when seeking or affirming a professional status as a composer or teacher. She dedicated her first work to “Her Majesty, the Queen”, who was an accomplished keyboardist. The Six Sonatas, where published by William Napier in London. The seemed to have some success because around 1790 they were printed again by E. Riley at his “Music Warehouse No. 8 Strand. ”
This piece was a typical sonata, meaning the keyboard could stand alone while the violin could not. The violin was used to double the upper or lower octaves of the keyboard. The original edition of this piece was published as a score. This was done so that the violinist read the music over the pianists shoulder. It was also normal at the time for this piece to be performed by a man and a woman. Men usually played strings, while women usually played the keyboard. All the rest of Maria’s surviving music was written for voice, which was more suited for her.
She wrote Six English and Italian Songs, Op. 2 in 1786. This piece was for voice with violins and piano or string quartet as accompaniment. In 1790 Maria wrote The Weavers Prayer, this piece was an English song with keyboard accompaniment. In 1794, 3 Hymns and 3 Anthems, Op. 3, was published. It consisted of psalm verses and words by James Merrick and was for 2 solo treble voices with treble unison choir, SAB choir, and organ. Her last surviving piece, set for voice and keyboard, was published in 1795. It was called An Ode on the Late Providential Preservation of Our Most Gracious Sovereign, Op. , the words for the song were written by Baroness Nolken.
Maria Barthelemon may not be the greatest composers of her time but she did help pave the road for many other women of her time. She brought music to many people through singing, writing, and playing the keyboard. In her 50 years of her life, she saw the world, worked with many great composers, worked with great teachers, and performed for many others. Her music has stood the test of time and given us an insight to the 1700s, as well as a glimpse into the lives of musicians and composers.