In the history of 17th-century Italian music we come across over 12 names of women composers who practised their art in convents, thus enriching the liturgy in their own nunneries. The preserved works by those artists, including Isabella Leonarda and Claudia Rusca, represent an excellent level of creative skills. On the other hand, Barbara Strozzi's life was quite secular. Her singing talent developed most probably in the tradition of concerti delle donne, deriving from the court of Ferrara dukes d'Este of the 1570s. This fashion produced demand for repertoire written for female voices and in consequence many works for voice and basso continuo were written for women singers. The wonderfully educated Francesca Caccini had an extraordinary career, combining vocal art with intriguing and prolific output as a composer, including works for stage.
C.F. Rusca Iubilate Deo a 3 from Sacri concerti (Milan, 1630)
I. Leonarda Iam diu dilecte mi Jesus – motet from Motetti a voce sola, con instrumenti Op. 20 (Bologna, 1700)
F. Caccini O che nuovo stupor from Primo libro delle Musiche ad una e due voci (Florence, 1618)
Improvisation (Michele Carreca)
F. Caccini Non so se quel sorriso ze zbioru Primo libro delle Musiche ad una e due voci (Florence, 1618)
I. Leonarda Sonata Duodecima a violino solo from Sonate Op. 16 (Bologna, 1693)
F. Caccini Chi desia di saper che cosa è amore; Ch'amor sia nudo, e pur con l’ali al tergo from Primo libro delle Musiche ad una e due voci (Florence, 1618)
B. Strozzi Che si può fare from Arii Op. 8 (Venice, 1664), L'amante segreto from Cantate, ariette, e duetti Op. 2 (1651)
Improvisation (Marco Vitale)
A. Bembo Thriumphet astris from Produzioni armoniche
Duration 75 minutes without intermission
Contrasto Armonico (Italy):
Beatrice Palumbo – soprano
Enrique Gómez-Cabrero Fernández – Baroque violin
Darius Stabinskas – viola da gamba
Michele Carreca – theorbo
Marco Vitale – harpsichord, chest organ, artistic direction
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