The title "Femenine" changes the traditional spelling of "feminine" by replacing 'i' with 'e', foregrounding 'men' within the word, similar to 1970s 'womyn' and 2020s 'womxn'.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Eastman's compositions from the early 1970s, including "Joy Boy," "Femenine," "Masculine," and "That Boy," engage with issues of gender in their titles, inviting listeners to consider identity beyond singular marks.
Cultural Impact
Despite his prominence, Julius Eastman died in obscurity in Buffalo, NY, with his death going unreported for eight months until an obituary appeared in the Village Voice.
Composer Biography
Julius Eastman, born in New York City in 1940, spent much of his life in upstate New York and studied piano at the Curtis Institute of Music before focusing on composition.
Critical Reception
After decades of his music lying dormant, a three-CD set of Julius Eastman's compositions titled "Unjust Malaise" was issued in 2005, leading to a steady increase in attention to his work.
Compositional Technique
In "Femenine," Eastman blends improvisation with two lines that remain constant throughout the piece: vibraphone and sleigh bells.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Eastman's 1979 statement, "The Composer as Weakling," uses dual gendering for the composer, reflecting his shifting emphasis on pitch primacy and stretching the sound world in "Femenine."
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