July 29, 2019.Concerto delle donne.There are not many musicians and composers to be celebrated this week (we continue to be fascinated with Hans Rott, born on August 1st of 1858, but we’ve wrote about him a year ago).On tweeks like this we often go back to composers of the Renaissance and early Baroque, but to do justice to their talents we should write about them more often.Music flourished during the Renaissance, especially in its later years.The church served as the main catalyst, but by the late 1500s more and more secular music was being written and performed.We know the names of the composers – they left a record of published music, but only rarely do the names of the performers of that music come up.We know, for example, that Girolamo Frescobaldi was famed as a great organ player, but we know him much better as a composer.History retained few names of the musicians, and of course we know little of their musicianship, as we cannot reproduce the music the way they played or sung it (with composers we at least have sheet music, but even then the matter of interpretation is quite controversial).Of all the performers, one name that stands out is Concerto delle donne.I was indeed famous during its time, and that’s why we know a little bit about it. Concerto del donne was founded by Alfonso II, Duke of Ferrara, a great patron of arts, around 1580.At that time the court of Ferrara was the music center of Italy, and, by extension, of the world.Orlando di Lasso, Carlo Gesualdo and Giaches De Wert spent time there, and so did Alessandro Striggio, lesser known these days but considered a progressive composer back then, at the end of the 16th century.Luzzasco Luzzaschi, a fine composer, was the court organist (and also Frescobaldi’s teacher).Concerto del donne’s origins go back to an informal ensemble of female courtiers who sung to entertain each other.Luzzasco Luzzaschi was probably the one to organize them into a more formal and eventually professional ensemble.Regular concerts were given for the Duke, and Concerto del donne became one of the featured performers.This was the only ensemble of female singers in all of Italy, and the quality of their singing, according to witnesses, was extraordinary.We know the names of some of the singers, such as Laura Peverara, the lead singer, Livia d'Arco and Anna Guarini, but they don’t tell us much, although the composer Francesco Manara compiled a number of madrigals in honor of Lauda Peverara.We also know about the people closely associated with the Concerto.One of them was Tarquinia Molza, a singer, poet, composer, and philosopher, and also a lady-in-waiting to Duchess Margherita Gonzaga d'Este, Alfonso’s wife.She was considered a virtuosa, both as a singer and as a violist, so much so that her performances were depicted in books.Molza most likely didn’t sing in Concerto herself but rather coached the singers.A widow, Molza had an affair with Giaches De Wert; as a lady-in-waiting she was considered a nobility, and De Wert,though a well-known composer, was of a servant class.Such a liaison was scandalous, and in 1589, when it was found out, Molza was banned from Ferrara.Court composers Lodovico Agostini and Ippolito Fiorini wrote madrigals for Concerto and so did Luzzasco Luzzaschi.
Alfonso II died in 1597 without issue, Ferrara was annexed by Pope Clement VIII, the court moved to Modena, and Concerto del donne was disbanded.What is left is a large number of madrigals that were written for this remarkable ensemble.Here’s Luzzaschi’s madrigal O dolcezz' amarissime d'amore.Even today it requires virtuoso performers, like Dame Emma Kirkby and other singers of the Consort of Musicke (Anthony Rooley conducting).
Concerto delle donne, 2019
July 29, 2019. Concerto delle donne. There are not many musicians and composers to be celebrated this week (we continue to be fascinated with Hans Rott, born on August 1st of 1858, but we’ve wrote about him a year ago). On tweeks like this we often go back to composers of the Renaissance and early Baroque, but to do justice to their talents we should write about them more often. Music flourished during the Renaissance, especially in its later years. The church served as
the main catalyst, but by the late 1500s more and more secular music was being written and performed. We know the names of the composers – they left a record of published music, but only rarely do the names of the performers of that music come up. We know, for example, that Girolamo Frescobaldi was famed as a great organ player, but we know him much better as a composer. History retained few names of the musicians, and of course we know little of their musicianship, as we cannot reproduce the music the way they played or sung it (with composers we at least have sheet music, but even then the matter of interpretation is quite controversial). Of all the performers, one name that stands out is Concerto delle donne. I was indeed famous during its time, and that’s why we know a little bit about it. Concerto del donne was founded by Alfonso II, Duke of Ferrara, a great patron of arts, around 1580. At that time the court of Ferrara was the music center of Italy, and, by extension, of the world. Orlando di Lasso, Carlo Gesualdo and Giaches De Wert spent time there, and so did Alessandro Striggio, lesser known these days but considered a progressive composer back then, at the end of the 16th century. Luzzasco Luzzaschi, a fine composer, was the court organist (and also Frescobaldi’s teacher). Concerto del donne’s origins go back to an informal ensemble of female courtiers who sung to entertain each other. Luzzasco Luzzaschi was probably the one to organize them into a more formal and eventually professional ensemble. Regular concerts were given for the Duke, and Concerto del donne became one of the featured performers. This was the only ensemble of female singers in all of Italy, and the quality of their singing, according to witnesses, was extraordinary. We know the names of some of the singers, such as Laura Peverara, the lead singer, Livia d'Arco and Anna Guarini, but they don’t tell us much, although the composer Francesco Manara compiled a number of madrigals in honor of Lauda Peverara. We also know about the people closely associated with the Concerto. One of them was Tarquinia Molza, a singer, poet, composer, and philosopher, and also a lady-in-waiting to Duchess Margherita Gonzaga d'Este, Alfonso’s wife. She was considered a virtuosa, both as a singer and as a violist, so much so that her performances were depicted in books. Molza most likely didn’t sing in Concerto herself but rather coached the singers. A widow, Molza had an affair with Giaches De Wert; as a lady-in-waiting she was considered a nobility, and De Wert,though a well-known composer, was of a servant class. Such a liaison was scandalous, and in 1589, when it was found out, Molza was banned from Ferrara. Court composers Lodovico Agostini and Ippolito Fiorini wrote madrigals for Concerto and so did Luzzasco Luzzaschi.
Alfonso II died in 1597 without issue, Ferrara was annexed by Pope Clement VIII, the court moved to Modena, and Concerto del donne was disbanded. What is left is a large number of madrigals that were written for this remarkable ensemble. Here’s Luzzaschi’s madrigal O dolcezz' amarissime d'amore. Even today it requires virtuoso performers, like Dame Emma Kirkby and other singers of the Consort of Musicke (Anthony Rooley conducting).