Main content
Sorry, this episode is not currently available

To be a woman

Donald Macleod and Laurie Stras explore how Barbara Strozzi navigated the male-dominated music scene in Venice in the 17th century.

Donald Macleod and Laurie Stras explore how Barbara Strozzi navigated the male-dominated music scene in Venice in the 17th century.

The singer, and composer Barbara Strozzi neither held any position at church or court, nor had a consistent patron, and yet she published eight volumes of her own music, and had more secular music in print than any other composer of the era. Over the course of this week, Donald Macleod is joined by Professor Laurie Stras to explore the life of this extraordinary musician, and the world of 17th-century Venice in which she lived and worked. This was a world in which, despite the acknowledged successes of female artists in literature and music, being a successful composer seems to have aroused suspicion, and brought accusations of impropriety.

In Tuesday’s episode, Donald and Laurie explore how Barbara Strozzi navigated the male dominated musical scene in Venice in the 17th century, and the accusations of impropriety which have been levelled at her in her own time and since.

Sospira respira, Op 6, No 17
Fieri Consort

Godere e tacere, Op 1, No 9
La Venexiana
Claudio Cavina, director

Cuore che reprime alla lingua di manifestare il nome della sua cara, Op 3, No 1
Catherine Bott, soprano
Paula Chateauneuf, chitarrone/baroque guitar
Timothy Roberts, harpsichord
Frances Kelly, harp

La sol fa, mi, re, do, Op 2, No 25
Peggy Belanger, soprano
Michel Angers, theorbo)
Consort Baroque Laurenita

Cor donato, cor rubato, Op 3, No 10
Christine Brandes, soprano
Jennifer Lane, mezzo-soprano
Kurt-Owen Richards, bass
New York Baroque
Eric Milnes, director

Sino alla morte, Op 7, No 1
Renata Dubinskaite, soprano
Canto Fiorito

E pazzo il mio core, Op 8, No 9
Flavio Ferri-Benedetti, countertenor
Il Profondo

59 minutes

Music Played

  • Barbara Strozzi

    Sospira respira, Op 6, No 17

    Ensemble: Fieri Consort.
    • FIER003VOV.
    • Fieri Records.
    • 11.
  • Barbara Strozzi

    Godere e tacere, Op 1, No 9

    Ensemble: La Venexiana. Director: Claudio Cavina.
    • CANTUS : 70683.
    • Cantus.
    • 15.
  • Barbara Strozzi

    Ardo in tacito foco, Op 3, No 1

    Performer: Paula Chateauneuf. Performer: Timothy Roberts. Performer: Frances Kelly. Singer: Catherine Bott.
    • Carlton Classics : 6600412.
    • Carlton Classics.
    • 2.
  • Barbara Strozzi

    La sol fa, Mi, re, do, Op 2, No 25

    Performer: Michel Angers. Performer: Consort Laurentia. Singer: Peggy Bélanger.
    • STR33948.
    • Stradivarius.
    • 8.
  • Barbara Strozzi

    Cor donato, cor rubato, Op 3, No 10

    Singer: Christine Brandes. Singer: Jennifer Lane. Singer: Kurt-Owen Richards. Ensemble: New York Baroque. Director: Eric Milnes.
    • Dorian: DOR93218.
    • Dorian.
    • 2.
  • Barbara Strozzi

    Sino alla morte, Op 7, No 1

    Singer: Renata DubinskaitÄ—. Ensemble: Canto Fiorito.
    • Brilliant Classics : 96436.
    • Brilliant Classics.
    • 9.
  • Barbara Strozzi

    E pazzo il mio core, Op 8, No 9

    Singer: Flavio Ferri-Benedetti. Ensemble: Il Profondo.
    • Resonando RN10001.
    • Resonando.
    • 10.

Broadcast

  • Tue 28 Feb 2023 12:00

Vaughan Williams Today

Vaughan Williams Today

Programmes, concerts and features celebrating Vaughan Williams's 150th anniversary.

Beethoven Unleashed – the box set

Beethoven Unleashed – the box set

The complete set of Radio 3 Beethoven Unleashed podcasts, with Donald Macleod.

What was really wrong with Beethoven?

What was really wrong with Beethoven?

Georgia Mann and neurosurgeon Henry Marsh examine the composer's numerous health problems

Composers A to Z

Composers A to Z

Visit the extensive audio archive of Radio 3 programmes about Composers and their works.

Who knew? Five eye-opening stories from Composer of the Week

Who knew? Five eye-opening stories from Composer of the Week

The production team reflects on 5 of Donald Macleod’s best stories from the last 20 years

Five reasons why we love Parry's Jerusalem

What is the strange power of Jerusalem which makes strong men weep?

A man out of time – why Parry's music and ideas were at odds with his image...

The composer of Jerusalem was very far from the conservative figure his image suggests.

Composer Help Page

Find resources and contacts for composers from within the classical music industry.