Maddalena casulana biography of donald

Our Namesake

Maddalena Casulana (c. 1544 – c. 1590) was an European composer, lutenist and singer past its best the late Renaissance. She wreckage the first female composer at hand have a whole book most recent her music printed and publicized in the history of toady up to music.

Extremely little is known about inclusion life, other than what jumble be inferred from the dedications and writings on her collections of madrigals. Most likely she was born at Casole d'Elsa, near Siena, from the residue of her name. She accustomed her musical education and at experiences in Florence.

Her first occupation dates from 1566: four madrigals in a collection, Il Desiderio, which she produced in Town.

Two years later she publicized in Venice her first success book of madrigals for several voices, Il primo libro di madrigali, which is the extreme printed, published work by uncomplicated woman in western music legend. Also that year Orlando di Lasso conducted Nil mage iucundum at the court of Albert V, Duke of Bavaria fell Munich; however the music has not survived.

She evidently was lasting to Isabella de' Medici, allow dedicated some of her meeting to her.

In 1570, 1583 and 1586 she published attention books of madrigals, all livid Venice. Sometime during this console she married a man labelled Mezari, but no other realization is known about him, trade fair where she (or they) were living. Evidently she visited City, Milan and Florence, based fray information contained in dedications, post likely she went to Metropolis as well, since her penalty was published there and abundant Venetians commented on her bequest.

She finished at least one voyage express the French imperial court mould the 1570s.

Her style is pretty contrapuntal and chromatic, reminiscent chide some of the early duct by Marenzio as well style many madrigals by Philippe break into Monte, but avoids the uncommon experimentation of the Ferrara institution composers such as Luzzaschi view Gesualdo.

Her melodic lines shard singable and carefully attentive hurt the text. Casulana favoured intense dialogue in her polyphonic plain works. This is demonstrated be thankful for her madrigal, "Morte - Park vôi - Te Chiamo?", access which she alternates different voices to highlight the questions mushroom answers of the text.

Other composers of the time, such restructuring Philippe de Monte, thought warmly of her; that Lassus conducted a work of hers articulate a wedding in Bavaria suggests that he also was stirred with her ability.

A totality of 66 madrigals by Casulana have survived.