Маддалена Казулана

Established composer and exceptionally talented professional singer, lutenist, and teacher, Maddalena Mezari detta Casulana Vicentina (also known as Maddalena Casulana) of Venice, was the first woman to publish her own musical compositions, primarily madrigals. Her first set of four madrigals in four parts, published in Il Desiderio I in Venice in 1566, was compiled by Giuglio Bonagiunta, a well known music underwriter and singer who included Casulana’s work in order to sell the edition. Two years later, a full volume of her music, First Book of Madrigals for Four Voices , was published. Casulana humbly dedicated this composition to Isabella de’ Medici , the main musical subject of these madrigals. In her dedication, Casulana expressed her admiration for de’ Medici while sharing thoughts on being a woman composer in a field dominated by men: "I know truly most excellent Lady, that these first fruits of mine, flawed as they are, cannot produce the effect that I desire, which would be in addition to providing some evidence of my devotion to Your Excellency, also to show the world the futile error of men who believe themselves patrons of the high gifts of intellect, which according to them cannot also be held in the same way by women. Because of all this, I did not wish to fail to publish them, hoping that in Your Excellency's bright name they would achieve such light as might kindle some other, higher talent to succeed more clearly in that which except for the spirit, I have not been able to show." Venice, April 10, 1568. from Your Excellency’s most humble servant, Maddalena Casulana. “She was an independent woman who apparently came from modest means and chose to earn her own living. We know that women should not have been able to do that then, for they were property of either their father, brother, or husband, or existentially of a convent.” “At the very least, we can know that Maddalena was highly unusual in her quest for a self-identifying voice, and that she must have experienced life quite differently not only from other women, but also from other women performers.” The following selections are recommended for vocal study and programming on recitals and concerts. Please note that this list may not constitute the entirety of the composer's output. Note: These songs can be sung with multiple voices or as solo songs with instruments playing the other vocal parts. Glickman, Sylvia, and Martha Furman Schleifer, eds. Women Composers: Music Through the Ages, vol 1. G.K. Hall and Co., 1996. LaMay, Thomasin, ed. Musical Voices of Early Modern Women: Many-Headed Melodies. Routledge Press, 2017. Murphy, Caroline T. Isabella de' Medici: The Glorious Life and Tragic End of a Renaissance Princess. Faber and Faber, 2008. Pendle, Karin, and EBSCO Publishing. Women & Music, a History. Indiana University Press, 1991. Pescerelli, Beatrice. "Maddalena Casulana.” The Historical Anthology of Music by Women , edited by James R. Briscoe. Indiana University Press, 1986. Spiller, Melanie. “Composer Biography: Maddalena Casulana (c1540-c1590).” Melanie Spiller and Coloratura Consulting.