Daughters of the lesbian poet: Contemporary feminist interpretation of Sappho's poems through song

This thesis examines the seven song and/or choral settings of Sappho’s poetry by contemporary women composers Carol Barnett, Sheila Silver, Elizabeth Vercoe, Liza Lim, Augusta Read Thomas, Mary Ellen Childs, and Patricia Van Ness. Each composer has set Sappho’s poems in her own creative and artistic interpretation through diverse modern musical styles, giving the Greek poetess a modern, gendered female voice. This paper presents connections between the poetry chosen, its themes and interpretations, as well as the expressive musical devices employed. The various methodological approaches include historical and textual criticism, sociomusicology, and gender and sexual studies. The setting of Sappho’s poetry and the commonalities of the poetic themes set to music help us understand how modern women view Sappho’s image, hear, and give voice to the poetess of the ancient world