Anne Bracegirdle (c. 1671-1748) was a famous actress of the late 17th and early 18th century, renowned for portraying virginal characters on stage, even as her offstage life was tinged with scandal and violence. Bracegirdle was known for singing mad songs, which were popular at the time and often the centerpiece of a play. She was so popular that playwrights and composers frequently created these songs specifically for her talents.  ..read more

From the last decades of the 16th century through the mid-17th century, a fascinating blend of French and Spanish musical traditions emerged, with Spanish lyrics set to French airs, reflecting Spain's significant influence at the French court.  ..read more

The anonymous song "Art thou that she" is found in a simple setting in British Library, Add. MS 24665. However, British Library, MS Egerton 2971 and Christ Church Library, MS Mus 439 feature settings with written-out embellishments ..read more

The secular song "Madre non mi far monaca" served as both harmonic foundation for guitar compositions and embellished melody for various instrumental and vocal settings. Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (1606-1669). Adoration of the Magi, 1632. Oil on paper pasted on canvas. This melody transcended its secular origins, making its mark in sacred and spiritual themed music. In Matteo Coferati's 'Corona di sacre canzoni o laudi spirituali' (Florence, 1675), "Madre non mi far monaca" found a new home in the Epiphany lauda "Parton dall'Oriente," showcasing the adaptability of "La Monica" across diff ..read more

In the seventeenth century, amid the backdrop of political turmoil in Naples, an interesting piece of music emerged known as "Lamento di Marinetta, moglie di Massaniello." This anonymous cantata, composed in the recitativo style with a text by Francesco Melosio, centers on the widow of Massaniello, a Neapolitan fishmonger who briefly led a 1647 anti-Spanish revolt. “Correa l’ottavo giorno” (Lamento di Marinetta, moglie di Massaniello). From Museo Internazionale e Biblioteca della Musica di Bologna, MS Q47, ff.87v-94v. Its source, I‑Bc Q47, is an extensive 252-folio manuscript that houses a co ..read more

Johannes Vermeer, Lady Writing a Letter with her Maid, c. 1670–1671, oil on canvas, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin. Letter writing during the early modern period encompassed both literary and non-literary, public and private, aristocratic and popular cultures in a way that no other writing practice did. Love letters, in particular, have captivated the hearts and minds of people throughout the ages. Although the form, medium, and content of love letters may have changed over time, their primary purpose remains unchanged: to convey intense emotions. Music provides its own examples of love ..read more

In seventeenth-century Rome, Holy Week witnessed the full variety of musical expression, from chant through polyphony to monody. The settings of the Lamentations of Jeremiah for performance during Holy Week were widely diffused throughout the Seicento, which saw the diffusion of the repertory at the height of the Catholic Reformation. While these works adhered to the basic requirements of Lessons, such as the use of Hebrew letters and the line "Jerusalem convertere" at the end, they departed significantly from the traditional stile antico. The emotionally charged content of the Lamentations te ..read more

The British Library Egerton MS 2971 is a important source for embellished versions of early seventeenth-century Italian and English songs and pieces for lyra viol. It contains thirteen highly ornamented settings, some of which are unique, while others are known in simpler versions. Ornament signs are also present in the accompaniments to Italian songs notated in tablature and in the solo pieces for lyra viol at the end of the manuscript. Additionally, a table of "graces for ye viol" pasted into the final flyleaf provides insight into the performance practice of the time. "A Musical Party" by ..read more

The British Library Add. MS 11608 is one of the largest and most important sources of mid-seventeenth-century English songs, particularly for the details it provides on vocal ornamentation, comprising over seventy songs and dialogues, as well as 3-part catches, compiled between 1652 and 1660. It is considered the most significant source for English ornamented song, showcasing the full development of English vocal divisions in the middle of the 17th century. "The Music Lesson" by Johannes Vermeer, painted c. 1662–1665. Oil on canvas housed at the Queen's Gallery in London. The manuscript conta ..read more

During the 17th century, many composers turned to the theme of the Virgin Mary, seeking to praise her or depict her sorrow at Christ's crucifixion in their works. Some of these compositions were particularly focused on portraying her grief and desperation in a powerful and moving way. One of the most notable works from this period is Giovanni Felice Sances' Pianto della Madonna, which was published in 1638. This piece is particularly noteworthy for its use of the chromatic form of the descending tetrachord ostinato in a vocal work. By alternating recitative and triple-time ostinato sections, S ..read more