Desperate measures the life and music of Antonia Padoani Bembo. Buch

One of the most fascinating figures of seventeenth-century music, composer and singer Antonia Padoani Bembo (c.1640 - c.1720) was active in both Venice and Paris. Her work provides a unique cross-cultural window into the rich musical cultures of these cities, yet owing to her clandestine existence in France, for almost three centuries Bembo's life was shrouded in mystery. In this first-ever biography, Clare Fontijn unveils the enthralling and surprising story of a remarkable woman who moved in the musical, literary, and artistic circles of these European cultural centers. Rebuffed in the attempt to divorce her abusive husband, Bembo fled to Paris, leaving her children in Venice. Joining ranks with composers glorifying Louis XIV, her song charmed the Sun King and won over his court's sympathy to the cause of women. She obtained his sponsorship to live in a semi-cloistered community in Paris, where she wrote music for the spiritual and worldly needs of the royal family. Offering fine examples of sacred and secular vocal repertory for chamber settings and large ensembles, Bembo's oeuvre reveals her preoccupation with female agency through dynamic portrayals of such powerful figures as the Virgin Mary and the Duchess of Burgundy. The genres in which she worked--love song, opera, motet, cantata, trio sonata, and air--testify to the magic of her voice and to her place alongside Strozzi, Jacquet de La Guerre, and other major women composers of her time. Expertly engaging with musicology, history, and gender studies, Claire Fontijn tells the story of a brave and daring woman while providing a valuable key to a long-hidden treasure trove of music. A groundbreaking biography, Desperate Measures details the compelling life and music of a woman with courage, determination, and talent who thrived within the dictates of society and culture Oxford University Press, USA 0195135385 1 Contents 14 List of Documents (Appendix 1) 16 List of Longer Musical Examples (Appendix 2) 18 Abbreviations 20 Introduction: Uncovering Her Story 24 PART I. THE LIFE 32 Chapter 1. The Girl Who Sings 34 Chapter 2. Our Lady of Good News 63 PART II. THE MUSIC 104 Chapter 3. Harmonic Productions 106 Chapter 4. Ties That Bind 154 Chapter 5. The United Tastes 202 Chapter 6. Penitence 234 Chapter 7. Hercules in Love 262 Postscript: Sunset 294 Appendix 1. Documents 298 Appendix 2. Longer Musical Examples 320 List of Compact Disc Tracks 360 Bibliography 362 Index 382 A 382 B 382 C 384 D 385 E 386 F 386 G 386 H 387 I 387 J 387 K 387 L 388 M 388 N 389 O 389 P 389 R 391 S 391 T 392 U 393 V 393 W 393 X 393 Z 393 ISBN-13:,9780195135381 One of the most fascinating figures of seventeenth-century music, composer and singer Antonia Padoani Bembo (c.1640 - c.1720) was active in both Venice and Paris. Her work provides a unique cross-cultural window into the rich musical cultures of these cities, but owing to her clandestine existence in France, Bembo's life was shrouded in mystery for almost three centures after her death. In this first-ever biography, Claire Fontijn unveils the enthralling and surprising story of a remarkable woman who moved in the musical, literary, and artistic circles of these European cultural centers. One of the most fascinating figures of seventeenth-century music, composer and singer Antonia Padoani Bembo (c.1640 - c.1720) was active in both Venice and Paris. Her work provides a unique cross-cultural window into the rich musical cultures of these cities, yet owing to her clandestine existence in France, for almost three centuries Bembo's life was shrouded in mystery. In this first-ever biography, the author unveils the enthralling and surprising story of a remarkable woman who moved in the musical, literary, and artistic circles of these European cultural centers The Life. The Girl Who Sings ; Our Lady Of Good News -- The Music. Harmonic Productions ; Ties That Bind ; The United Tastes ; Penitence ; Hercules In Love -- Postscript : Sunset. Claire Fontijn. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 341-359) And Index.