This Week in Classical Music: October 31, 2021.Tarquinia Molza.Tarquinia Molza by all accounts was one of the most extraordinary women of the late Renaissance, a virtuosa, a courtier and intellectual.She was born in Modena on November 1st of 1542.Her grandfather, Francesco Maria Molza, was one of the best-known poets of his generation (but also a libertine, who abandoned his family and died of syphilis).Tarquinia married young, as almost everybody at that time, and was widowed by the age of 36.She was famous as a singer: Francesco Patrizi, a writer, philosopher, and a very good friend of Molza’s gave a detailed description of her performances in his book L'amorosa filosofia.Patrizi, who taught Molza the Greek language (she also knew Hebrew and Latin), even featured her in his philosophical treaties, disguised as Diotima, a character from Plato’s famous Symposium.When singing, Molza usually accompanied herself on the viola bastarda, a viol, similar to the viola da gamba and traditionally used in virtuosic performances.She also played the harpsichord and the lute.Somewhere around 1583 she moved to the Este court of Ferrara, where she became a lady-in-waiting to the Duchess, Margherita Gonzaga-Este.She knew many poets, philosophers, and musicians, who flocked to the Este court, and continued her friendship with Torquato Tasso whom she knew from her days in Modena.Tasso dedicated one of his dialogues to Molza.
In Ferrara, Molza was involved with the court’s concerto delle donne, by all accounts an extraordinary group of female singers (you can read more about this remarkable ensemble here).It seems that she didn’t sing with them but rather acted as a teacher and advisor.In Ferrara Molza had an affair with Giaches De Wert, one of the many talented composers patronized by the Este court.As a lady-in-waiting to the Duchess, she was considered nobility, while De Wert, though a well-known composer, was of a servant class.Such a misalliance was unacceptable, and in 1589, when discovered, Molza was banned from Ferrara.She eventually moved to Rome; in 1600 the Roman Senate bestowed on her an honorary citizenship.Monza died in Modena on August 8th of 1617.
Many of the best composers of the Renaissance spent some time (and sometimes a long time) in Ferrara, from Guillaume Dufay to Jacob Obrecht, Josquin des Prez and on.During Molza’s time, Luzzasco Luzzaschi was the Duke’s favorite composer but he wasn’t the only one.Giovan Leonardo Primavera composed madrigals based on Molza’s poetry.Here’s one of his madrigals, Nasce La Gioja Mia, performed by The Tallis Scholars.
Tarquinia Molza, 2021
This Week in Classical Music: October 31, 2021. Tarquinia Molza. Tarquinia Molza by all accounts was one of the most extraordinary women of the late Renaissance, a virtuosa, a courtier
and intellectual. She was born in Modena on November 1st of 1542. Her grandfather, Francesco Maria Molza, was one of the best-known poets of his generation (but also a libertine, who abandoned his family and died of syphilis). Tarquinia married young, as almost everybody at that time, and was widowed by the age of 36. She was famous as a singer: Francesco Patrizi, a writer, philosopher, and a very good friend of Molza’s gave a detailed description of her performances in his book L'amorosa filosofia. Patrizi, who taught Molza the Greek language (she also knew Hebrew and Latin), even featured her in his philosophical treaties, disguised as Diotima, a character from Plato’s famous Symposium. When singing, Molza usually accompanied herself on the viola bastarda, a viol, similar to the viola da gamba and traditionally used in virtuosic performances. She also played the harpsichord and the lute. Somewhere around 1583 she moved to the Este court of Ferrara, where she became a lady-in-waiting to the Duchess, Margherita Gonzaga-Este. She knew many poets, philosophers, and musicians, who flocked to the Este court, and continued her friendship with Torquato Tasso whom she knew from her days in Modena. Tasso dedicated one of his dialogues to Molza.
In Ferrara, Molza was involved with the court’s concerto delle donne, by all accounts an extraordinary group of female singers (you can read more about this remarkable ensemble here). It seems that she didn’t sing with them but rather acted as a teacher and advisor. In Ferrara Molza had an affair with Giaches De Wert, one of the many talented composers patronized by the Este court. As a lady-in-waiting to the Duchess, she was considered nobility, while De Wert, though a well-known composer, was of a servant class. Such a misalliance was unacceptable, and in 1589, when discovered, Molza was banned from Ferrara. She eventually moved to Rome; in 1600 the Roman Senate bestowed on her an honorary citizenship. Monza died in Modena on August 8th of 1617.
Many of the best composers of the Renaissance spent some time (and sometimes a long time) in Ferrara, from Guillaume Dufay to Jacob Obrecht, Josquin des Prez and on. During Molza’s time, Luzzasco Luzzaschi was the Duke’s favorite composer but he wasn’t the only one. Giovan Leonardo Primavera composed madrigals based on Molza’s poetry. Here’s one of his madrigals, Nasce La Gioja Mia, performed by The Tallis Scholars.