"Women musicians of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries had their place: in the home. A woman who tried to move beyond parlor tunes to the public stage faced ridicule and censure. At best she might win a rare compliment: "She plays like a man."" "Despite the many obstacles, some women persevered and became touring virtuosos. This book tells the story of their hard-won success.".

"Detailed here are the lives of three especially remarkable artists: pianist Fannie Bloomfield-Zeisler, pianist and conductor Ethel Leginska, and conductor Antonia Brico. A concluding chapter contrasts the experience of female musicians then and now."--BOOK JACKET.