Barbara Strozzi (1619 – 1677)

The singer, and composer Barbara Strozzi neither held any
position at church or court, nor had a consistant patron, and yet
she published eight volumes of her own music, and had more
secular music in print than any other composer of the era. Donald
Macleod is joined by Professor Laurie Stras to explore the life
of this extraordinary musician, and the world of 17th Century
Venice in which she lived and worked. This was a world in which,
despite the acknowledged successes of female artists in
literature and music, being a successful composer seems to have
aroused suspicion, and brought accusations of impropriety.


Music Featured:


Mi fa rider la speranze, Op.7’10 Che si puo fare, Op 8’6 Sonetto
Proemio dell'Opera, Op 1’1 Godere in gioventù, Op. 1’12
L'Usignuolo, Op.1’5 Il contrasto di cinque sensi, Op. 1’14 Parla
alli suoi pensieri, Op.6’5 L’Amante segreto, Op. 2’16 Sospira
respira, Op.6’17 Godere e tacere, Op.1’9 Cuore che reprime alla
lingua di manifestare il nome della sua cara, Op.3’1 La sol fa,
mi, re, do, Op.2’25 Cor donato, cor rubato, Op. 3’10 Sino alla
morte, Op.7’1 E pazzo il mio core, Op.8’9 Fin che tù spiri,
spera, Op.7’3 Cristiana Presutti, soprano Ensemble Poiesis La
riamata da chi amava, Op.2’18 Silentio nocivo, Op. 1’6 Donne
Belle, Op.8’12 Se volete così me ne contento, Op. 6’18 Lagrime
Mie, Lamento, Op. 7’4 L'Eraclito amoroso, Op. 2’14 Amante
loquace, Op. 6’16 Il Lamento - S’ul rodano severo, Op.3’3
Begl’occhi, Op.2’2 Mater Anna, op.5’1 O Maria, Op.5’7 Tradimento,
Op.7’9 Sete pur fastidioso, Op. 7’12 Conclusione dell’opera,
Op.1’25 Parasti in dulcedine, Op.5’8 L’Astratto, op.8’4 Salve
Regina, Op.5 Gite, o giorni dolenti, Op.2’21 L’amante modesto,
Op.1’13


Presented by Donald Macleod Produced by Sam Phillips


For full track listings, including artist and recording details,
and to listen to the pieces featured in full (for 30 days after
broadcast) head to the series page for Barbara Strozzi (1619 –
1677) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001h57j


And you can delve into the A-Z of all the composers we’ve
featured on Composer of the Week here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3cjHdZlXwL7W41XGB77X3S0/composers-a-to-z