Introduction
This introductory chapter sets out the key arguments, theoretical frameworks, and historiographical context of the book, and also presents summaries of each chapter. It reviews theoretical approaches to the concept of “voice” and explains this book’s stance towards exploring the cultural history of voices. It demonstrates how this focus on voice advances the gender history of this period, particularly in relation to moving beyond the longstanding debate over the “separate spheres” paradigm. It explains why this period is particularly important for the history of female voices, emphasising both the growth of middle-class audiences for music, and the impact of the evangelical revival on British culture. It concludes by offering some thoughts about the ways in which the present study draws upon and draws together recent developments in both history and musicology that have brought the two disciplines into closer alignment.