Rather than adding a list of long-forgotten matriarchs to our historical roster, modern feminist-based musicology has sought to understand the effects of gender and sexuality within a larger cultural and political framework. It seeks not to provide new histories, but to add to the understanding and appreciation of great music through context and the social codes of the language of music. This course traces important female musicians, from the spiritual Hildegard von Bingen in the Middle Ages through the indomitable Cosima Wagner to current leading ladies such as Madonna and Bjork. We examine many of the scholars and critics currently at the forefront of this field of inquiry.