Maddalena Laura Lombardini Sirmen, born in Venice in 1745, received a strict musical education from age seven at the Ospedale dei Mendicanti, one of Venice's renowned conservatories.
Composition History
Maddalena Lombardini Sirmen was one of the first women to compose string quartets, a genre that was still very new and experimental at the time.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Lombardini Sirmen's quartets reflect the compositional principles of her teacher Tartini, ensuring all four instruments have an equally important voice, creating lively dialogues.
Historical Context
Lombardini Sirmen's 'Sei Quartetti' were published in 1769 and appeared in a promotional catalogue just above Joseph Haydn's Op. 9, indicating their contemporary standing.
Composer Biography
As a teenager, Lombardini Sirmen studied with the famous violinist and teacher Giuseppe Tartini, who even wrote her a letter with practice tips that is still considered important for historical performance practice.
Historical Context
Lombardini Sirmen's husband, Lodovico Sirmen, was listed on the title page of her 'Sei Quartetti' not because he co-composed them, but because women in the 18th century were not considered legal persons and could not independently publish their works.
Interpretation
The Lombardini Quartett, named after Maddalena Laura Lombardini Sirmen, focuses on rediscovering and performing forgotten Early Classical works on historical instruments with gut strings.
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