A historical summary of the women's chorus

Part One presents a brief summary about the women's chorus in ancient times in Egypt, Babylonia, and Greece. Part Two summarizes the history of the women's chorus in the church from the first century through the twentieth century. Information is presented about the chorus in the early years of Christianity, in the first centuries of cloistered life in France, Germany, and England, in the Italian conservatories, and in the church in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Part Three summarizes the history of the secular women's chorus and its beginnings. Discussions of professional women singers, particularly in the Este court of Ferrara, their training in the boarding schools of France, England, the United States, and Russia, and in choral groups in Leipzig and Switzerland, the Hamburger Frauenchor, and the forming of choral groups in colleges, universities, and clubs are presented. Appendix One presents comments about, and analyses of representative choral selections for women's voices from each of the historical periods in music. Appendix Two presents discussions of five bibliographical works concerning choral literature that is available for women's voices.