Lady Mary Dering facts for kids
Lady Mary Dering (born Mary Harvey) (baptized September 3, 1629 – February 7, 1704) was an English composer. She was one of the first women in England to have her music published.
Early Life and Family
Mary Harvey was born around September 1629 and was baptized in Croydon, England. Her father, Daniel Harvey, was a very rich merchant in London. His older brother was William Harvey, a famous doctor who discovered how blood circulates in the body.
Mary went to school in Hackney, London. She became friends with other important young women, including Katherine Philips, who was a well-known poet.
In 1648, Mary married Sir Edward Dering. They had a happy marriage and shared a love for poetry and music. They had seventeen children together, but sadly, some passed away when they were young. Lady Mary Dering lived longer than her husband, dying in 1704.
Her Musical Talent
Lady Mary Dering learned music from Henry Lawes, a famous English composer. Henry Lawes thought very highly of her musical skills. He even dedicated his book of songs, called Second book of airs, to her.
In his dedication, Lawes praised Lady Mary Dering, saying she was excellent at performing his songs. He also shared a secret: some of the best songs in his book were actually composed by her! He mentioned that she wrote music for poems that her husband, Sir Edward Dering, had written. Lawes was very proud to say that she was a talented composer, and few people, male or female, were as good as her.
The only songs of hers that we still have today are the three that Henry Lawes published in his book. This was a very important moment because it was the first time music by a female composer was published in England.
Lady Mary Dering was buried in a place called Pluckley in Kent, England. There is a special memorial for her in the church there.
See also
In Spanish: Lady Mary Dering para niños
