The city of Ferrara, ruled by the Este dynasty, was one of Europe's most significant musical centers by the 1420s.
Historical Context
In the 16th century, Ferrara's Estense court featured a renowned ensemble of virtuoso women singers known as the concerto delle donne.
Composition History
Raphaella Aleotti's collection of Sacrae cantiones was published in Venice in 1593, and in the same year, a collection of madrigals titled Ghirlanda de madrigali a quatro voci appeared under the name Vittoria Aleotti.
Recording & Production
This recording uses every instrument associated with the 'concerto grande' at San Vito, except for the cornamusa, due to uncertainty about the instrument intended by that term.
Historical Context
The convent of San Vito in Ferrara housed an impressive 'concerto grande' of musical nuns, first described by Ercole Bottrigari in 1594, which included 23 participants.
Composer Biography
Raphaella Aleotti (1575-1646?), the first Italian nun to have published music, was one of five daughters of Giovanni Battista Aleotti, the ducal architect to the Estense court.
Composer Biography
It is now generally accepted that Vittoria Aleotti, who published a collection of madrigals, is the same person as Raphaella Aleotti, using her secular name before her monastic one.
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