The Baroque Era and Its Protagonists
Classical music lovers can quickly identify the great masters of the Baroque. At the top of this list is Johann Sebastian Bach, the most famous of all; closely followed by Georg Friedrich Händel, Antonio Vivaldi, Johann Pachelbel, Claudio Monteverdi, Georg Philipp Telemann and Jean-Baptiste Lully. Although I could mention many more, these names are undoubtedly representative. Performing a browser search on ‘baroque music’ confirms that these are the most recognized composers of the 17th and early 18th centuries. They contributed to leaving behind the practices of early music and the establishment of forms such as the sonata, as well as the development of opera as an established musical genre. However, I have a concern: why does the name of a woman who illuminated the art of that era with her creativity rarely, if ever, appear in these lists?
The Female Presence in Baroque Music
History has shown that there were female composers who enjoyed great success at the time, as Mar Medinyà indicated in her work ‘Múrries’, where she reviews the history of female musical creation. In her book, she devotes an entire chapter to the contributions of women in Italian cities, courts, and convents. This aligns with the mission of the Thaleia Ensemble, which seeks to recover the memory of the female composers of the 1960s.
The Concert and its Protagonists
This outstanding musical group will have the opportunity to perform a repertoire of compositions by new Italian composers developed in different contexts during the 17th century. Within their presentations, which are part of the Early Music Festival of the Pyrenees (FEMAP), they will be presented in three locations. The dates are as follows: August 2 at 7:00 p.m. in the Church of San Martín de Palaldà (Les Banys d’Arles, France), August 3 at 10:00 p.m. in the Cloister of the Monastery of San Juan de las Abadesas and, finally, on August 4 at 8:00 p.m. in Bellestar, in the municipality of Montferrer and Castellbò. Each of these concerts will feature a guided tour of the town, to immerse yourself in the history hidden in its streets and to appreciate the environment in which it is located.
A Repertoire of Cultural Wealth
The performance will begin with ‘Cari musici’ by Bianca Maria Meda, who had the opportunity to develop her artistic work in the Benedictine convent of San Martino de Leano in Pavia. This work is part of a collection of motets that managed to be published and printed. Next, the ensemble will perform two pieces by Claudia Sessa, both from 1613. This composer, who lived in the convent of Santa María Annunciata in Milan, was also a renowned instrument player and vocalist, although details about her life and date of death remain in the shadows.
Prolific Composers and Their Legacy
The line of devotional music will continue with Isabella Leonarda, considered the most prolific composer of her time. At the College of Santa Ursula in Novara, where she became a music instructor and rose to the position of counselor within the monastic structure, she left an indelible mark with more than 200 pieces and 20 volumes that display a musical diversity with elements very advanced for her time. Her ‘Sonata prima’ will be part of the performance. In the same area lived Maria Javier Peruchona, whose only known work is ‘Sacri concerti de motetti’, published in 1675 in Milan.
Exploring Feminine Secular Music
Chiara Margarita Cozzolani will be the last of the composers on the program, coming from the convent of Santa Radegonda in Milan, where she held the position of abbess. Despite having published four volumes of music, Thaleia Ensemble will perform only ‘Salmi a otto voci concertati’.
An Innovative Finish
The rest of the concert will focus on non-religious music created by women in the same century. It will begin with ‘Udite lagrimosi spirti’ (from ‘Affetti amorosi’) by Lucia Quinciani, which is recognized as the first monody published and composed by a woman. Although she worked in Verona and Venice, unfortunately, little information exists about her life and her musical corpus.
The session will continue with the work of Antonia Pafoani Bembo, who, after escaping marital problems, found refuge in a female community in Paris under the protection of Louis XIV, who provided her with opportunities to sing. All six volumes of her music are preserved in the National Library of Paris. The program also includes ‘Correnti’ by Marieta Morosina Priuli, of which only two pictorial pieces focused on dance are known, an unusual concept for the time, although unfortunately they are not preserved in their entirety.
Finally, tribute will be paid to Barbara Strozzi, one of the first Italian women who dedicated herself professionally to music outside the court. She published more of her works during her lifetime than many of her contemporaries, despite not having had constant patronage. Her piece ‘Hor che Apollo è a Teti in seno d’Arie, op. 8’ will be performed as part of the repertoire.
Closing of the Event
You can purchase your tickets for these memorable concerts here.
