Looking at the historical copyright music collections, certain categories do leap out … theatrical music, single songs, instructional material, instrumental music, Napoleonic-era music … and music by women. Now, there are various websites detailing women composers, and it would be rash (indeed, unnecessary) to create another one, but for the purposes of the Claimed From Stationers’ Hall network, what we need is a list of the women composers represented in and around the Georgian era – say, from 1760-1840.
I found all the women’s names in the “Authors” index of Michael Kassler’s Music Entries at Stationers’ Hall, 1710-1818 (Routledge, 2004), and then added in some extra names that appeared in St Andrews’ University Library Copyright Music Collection – specifically, in the volumes that have been catalogued online, from Vol.130 to Vol.385. (Kassler also lists writers of lyrics, performers, and dedicatees, in separate indices – I have not included these.) The resultant list can be found here:- Women Composers of the Georgian Era. (List compiled by Karen E McAulay, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, 07/2018).
A WORD OF CAUTION! Researchers should cross-refer between Kassler and Copac, to ensure that works post-1818 are also represented, and to eliminate any names which may have other than strictly authorial responsibility for the works cited.
Kassler’s book is one I consult almost daily. It’s available in a number of university libraries, both as hardback and e-book. Recommended!
I tweeted about this earlier today, and I’ll reiterate it here – please do share any links to 
useful lists of historical names! If your list has both “ancient and modern”, I’ll still be happy to include the link. However, to keep it relevant, let’s not add lists of women composers from the 20th century onwards. The Claimed from Stationers’ Hall network is about predominantly Georgian music, published in Britain and legally deposited in British libraries – that’s the network’s remit, and that’s what the research funding is enabling!
Useful Books
- Beer, Anna R (2016) – Sounds and sweet airs : the forgotten women of classical music
- Cohen, Aaron I (1987, 2nd ed.) – International encyclopedia of women composers
- Fuller, Sophie (1994) – The Pandora guide to women composers : Britain and the United States, 1629-present
- Pendle, Karin (2001) – Women & music : a history
- Pendle, Karin and Melinda Boyd (2015) – Women in music : a research and information guide /
- Ritchie, Leslie (2008) – Women Writing Music in Late Eighteenth Century England. In terms of names and biographical details, really useful.
- Sadie, Julie Anne and Rhian Samuel (1994) – The new Grove dictionary of women composers
Karen McAulay, Musicologist 