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