composer
Maddalena Casulana (c. 1544-c. 1590) was an Italian composer, singer and lutenist. She was the first female composer that saw her music printed and published in the history of Western ...
related works
Genre:
Vocal music
Subgenre:
Mixed choir
Scoring:
GK
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Genre:
Vocal music
Subgenre:
Mixed choir
Scoring:
GK4
Kommt Seelen, dieser Tag : for mixed choir / Sem Dresden
Genre:
Vocal music
Subgenre:
Mixed choir
Scoring:
GK
Motetten : voor gemengd koor, 1929 / Julius Röntgen
Genre:
Vocal music
Subgenre:
Mixed choir
Scoring:
GK4
composition
The Second Book of Madrigals : for 4 voices / Maddalena Casulana; transcribed and edited by Cees Wagemakers
Other authors:
Wagemakers, Cees
(editor)
Contains:
Ridon’ hor per le piagge herbette (1‘45”)
Vagh’ amorosi augelli (2‘15”)
S’ alcun vi mira (1‘45”)
Come fra verd’ erbette (2‘)
Vivo ardor (2‘)
Il vostro dipartir (2‘)
Gran miracol’ d’ amore (1‘45”)
Tra verdi frondi (Leandro Mira) (2‘15”)
Amor per qual cagion (1‘45”)
Io d’ odorate fronde (2‘15”)
Ahi possenza d’ amor (2‘)
O Notte (2‘15”)
Morte, te chiamo (1‘45”)
Ben venga il pastor mio (3‘)
Cinta di fiori (7‘30”)
Monti, selve, fontane (1‘30”)
Description:
The underlying collection of madrigals was dedicated to Don Antonio Londonio, a magistrate of the Secret Council of the Catholic King of the State of Milan. It was published in 1570, when she was still rather young.
Casulana’s style is moderately contrapuntal and chromatic, reminiscent of some of the early work by Marenzio as well as many madrigals by Philippe De Monte, but avoids the extreme experimentation of the Ferrara school composers such as Luzzaschi and Gesualdo. Her melodic lines are singable and carefully attentive to the text. Other composers of the time, such as Philippe De Monte, thought highly of her; that Lassus conducted a work of hers at a wedding in Bavaria suggests that he also was impressed with her ability.
A total of 66 madrigals by Casulana have survived. The madrigals are highly homophonic and not very demanding, but very pleasant to sing and to hear.
Cees Wagemakers