Daughter and disciple : on gender and male gaze in the Spanish media image of the composer Ann-Elise Hannikainen in the early 1970s

Abstract

This article explores the media representation of Finnish-born composer Ann-Elise Hannikainen in the Spanish media during the early 1970s, focusing on the gender dynamics and the influence of the male gaze on her public image. Despite the presence of numerous female composers in Spain at the time, Hannikainen’s and Valencia-based Matilde Salvador’s works were among the few by women featured by Spanish orchestras in the 1970s. This study aims to understand how Hannikainen’s gender intersected with various aspects of her identity, such as age, appearance, social class, family background, education, and nationality, in the critiques and other texts related to her orchestral piece Anerfálicas premiered in Valencia in 1973. The methodology employs resistant reading by Judith Fetterley to analyse how gender and the male gaze shaped the discourse around Hannikainen’s work, underscoring the necessity of a feminist perspective in musicology that acknowledges the contributions of women composers and challenges the traditional narratives of music history. Additionally, by contrasting Hannikainen’s media image with that of Salvador, the article reveals that Hannikainen’s gender not only shaped her public image through descriptions of her appearance and familial relations but also affected the depth of authorship and artistic integrity attributed to her work, often overshadowing her professional credentials and accomplishments. This gendered narrative extended to the way influential figures, such as Hannikainen’s teacher Ernesto Halffter, represented Hannikainen.