ABSTRACT
In many ways, the lifestyle of the educated female court musician, commonly known as a courtesan, was glorious and desirable. It included access to education and independence, as well as connections to powerful men. It came with a price, however. In cultures where the role of a virtuous woman was to marry and have children, the unmarried educated woman was considered suspect. Musical and intellectual skills elevated the courtesan but threatened her image as a virtuous woman. This chapter looks at common themes among the Japanese geisha tradition, the Indian devadasi system, and European court cultures. Genres and forms created and performed by courtesan musicians such as the kouta, temple dancing, and the madrigal are also discussed, with guided listening examples by the Countess of Dia and Maddalena Casulana.
