HOSTS- Jeremy Burns, Matthew Scott Phillips
TYPE- History
DURATION- 75:12
BUMPER MUSIC- "This Walkway Was Made For Boots" (Area 47 Music)
ANNOUNCER- Mike Cunliffe
Our discussion on the significance of women in music history is well overdue! Join us on this series as we highlight some of the notable female composers, from the advent of recorded music history!
The following composers were on the threshold of the Ancient and the Early Middle Ages music eras.
-Born in the 8th century to an Armenian family.
-After her brothers capture she was moved to a fortress in current day Kemeh, where she remained for 20 years.
-After her brother's death, she wrote the sarakan (canonical hymn) "Zarmanali e Ints" in his honor. The English translation of this title is "Wonderous It Is To Me"
To hear a modern day recording of "Wonderous It Is To Me", (by Sharakan Early Music Ensemble) on the YouTube page, Classical Melody, click HERE
-Born in Constantinople, 810CE.
-She was a well educated Byzantine-Greek abbess, poet and hymnographer.
-50 of her compositions have survived throughout time.
-Her music was "gnomic" (echoing some of the sentiments of the time).
To hear a modern day recording of Kassia's music on YouTube (courtesy of Чорное Полотно Канал), click HERE
-Born in Germany, 810CE.
-She was a highly regarded abbess, composer, political commentator and a mystic.
-She was a pioneer in expressing passion and emotion through her music. She would also make subtle political statements within her music and, sometimes not so subtle commentary publicly.
To hear a modern day recording of Hildegard's "Ordo Virtutum" on YouTube (courtesy of Joachim Prey), click HERE
-Born in France, circa 1160 CE.
-Comtessa De Dia was a trobairitz (female troubadour), based out of Provence, France.
-Her music was of the troubadour tradition and focused on personal relationships and love and attraction (outside of the church and formal arrangements). Self expressive, honest and passionate, her music was rebellious and addressed some of her own personal struggles.
-Born near Casole d’Elsa, Italy, 1544 CE.
-She was the first woman to have her compositions published. This was a collection of 4 madrigals titled, "Il primo bible di Madrigali”
-She had powerful friends, among them Isabella Medici, whom she composed for.
-Her music was contrapuntal and chromatic, but not so extreme or experimental as some of her other contemporaries from the Ferrara school of composers. Her madrigals were secular.
-She kept composing till her death in 1590.
-Born in Ferrara, Italy, 1575 CE.
-Daughter of a prominent architect, Giovanni Battista Aleotti, she was inspired at a young age by her older sisters music lessons.
-Her strengths were harpsichord and voice.
-At 14 she entered the Ferrara’s San Vito convent, a convent that focused on musical studies.
-It is thought that she changed her name to "Raffaella" later in life. She may have used this name for her sacred music (the first sacred music published by a female composer) and "Vittoria" for her secular music. This is assuming they are the same person.
-Her music used harmony and dissonance to convey emotion. It reflected her Ferarra schooling, which was prevalent during the late Renaissance period.
