L'Eraclito amoroso Lamento Op.2/14

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Details

Composer: Isabella Leonarda (b. 1620 - d. 1704)

Performance date: 04/07/2016

Venue: St. Brendan’s Church

Composition Year: 1651

Duration: 00:06:00

Recording Engineer: Richard McCullough, RTÉ lyric fm

Instrumentation Category:Duo

Instrumentation Other: vn, lute

Artists: Anna Reinhold - [mezzo-soprano]
Fredrik Bock - [lute]

Little is known of Isabella Leonarda’s early life. She was born into a family of minor nobility in the Italian town of Novara, and at the age of sixteen she followed her sisters into the convent of Sant’Orsola. While at the convent, Leonarda received her musical training from Gasparo Casati, who served as maestro di cappella at the Cathedral of Novara from 1635-1641. Casati published a volume of sacred concenti in 1640 which includes the earliest surviving copies of Leonarda’s music.

Being in the convent during the 17th century gave Leonarda the possibility of dedicating time and energy to her musical compositions, something which she would not have been entitled to do as a married woman. She was one of the most prolific female composers of her time, publishing over 200 works throughout her long life. Leonarda used music as a tool to express her deep faith, and saw her compositions as a bridge between the divine and human order.