Caterina Assandra
Encyclopedia
Caterina Assandra was an Italian
composer
and Benedictine
nun
. She was born in Pavia
, Italy
. She wrote a number of motet
s, as well as a number of organ
pieces, written in German tablature. She studied counterpoint
with the German Catholic exile Benedetto Re, or Reggio, one of the leading teachers at Pavia Cathedral
, who dedicated a piece to her in 1607. Her musical talents were noted by the publisher Lomazzo early in her career, in the dedication of G.P. Cima's
works. Her motet book, "Motetti à due, & tre voci," op.2, which was dedicated to G.B. Biglia, the Bishop of Pavia, in 1609, has survived, but her op.1 is lost. It is possible that her two motets, Ave Verum Corpus and Ego Flos Campi, could be from that volume. In 1609, Caterina Assandra took vows
and entered the enedictine monastery] Saint Agata, in Lomells, in the Lombard region of northern Italy, adopting “Agata” as her religious name. Here, she continued composing, including a collection of motets
in the new concertato
style in Milan
in 1609, an imitative eight-voice Salve Regina
in 1611, and a motet
, Audite verbum Dominum, for four voices in 1618. Assandra’s motets
were among the first in the Roman style to be published in Milan
, as Borsieri noted. Assandra composed both highly traditional pieces and more innovatory works. One of these innovatory works is Duo seraphim. Her motet O Salutaris hodie, included in Motetti op.2, was one of the first pieces to include ‘violone
’. She became famous as a composer
and organist
and some of her works were published during her lifetime.
You can also find her music in the book Women Composers: Music Through the Ages.
Listen: Ego Flos Campi (H.Heldstab), http://www.earlywomenmasters.net/midi/mid/assand2.mid
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
. She was born in Pavia
Pavia
Pavia , the ancient Ticinum, is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 35 km south of Milan on the lower Ticino river near its confluence with the Po. It is the capital of the province of Pavia. It has a population of c. 71,000...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. She wrote a number of motet
Motet
In classical music, motet is a word that is applied to a number of highly varied choral musical compositions.-Etymology:The name comes either from the Latin movere, or a Latinized version of Old French mot, "word" or "verbal utterance." The Medieval Latin for "motet" is motectum, and the Italian...
s, as well as a number of organ
Organ (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
pieces, written in German tablature. She studied counterpoint
Counterpoint
In music, counterpoint is the relationship between two or more voices that are independent in contour and rhythm and are harmonically interdependent . It has been most commonly identified in classical music, developing strongly during the Renaissance and in much of the common practice period,...
with the German Catholic exile Benedetto Re, or Reggio, one of the leading teachers at Pavia Cathedral
Pavia Cathedral
The Cathedral of Pavia is a church in Pavia, northern Italy, the largest in the city. The construction was begun in the 15th century on the site of two pre-existing Romanesque cathedrals . The cathedral houses the remains of St. Sirus, first bishop of Pavia...
, who dedicated a piece to her in 1607. Her musical talents were noted by the publisher Lomazzo early in her career, in the dedication of G.P. Cima's
Giovanni Paolo Cima
Giovanni Paolo Cima was an Italian composer and organist in the early Baroque era. He was a contemporary of Claudio Monteverdi and Girolamo Frescobaldi, though not as well known as either of those men....
works. Her motet book, "Motetti à due, & tre voci," op.2, which was dedicated to G.B. Biglia, the Bishop of Pavia, in 1609, has survived, but her op.1 is lost. It is possible that her two motets, Ave Verum Corpus and Ego Flos Campi, could be from that volume. In 1609, Caterina Assandra took vows
Religious vows
Religious vows are the public vows made by the members of religious communities pertaining to their conduct, practices and views.In the Buddhist tradition, in particular within the Mahayana and Vajrayana tradition, many different kinds of religious vows are taken by the lay community as well as by...
and entered the enedictine monastery] Saint Agata, in Lomells, in the Lombard region of northern Italy, adopting “Agata” as her religious name. Here, she continued composing, including a collection of motets
Motet
In classical music, motet is a word that is applied to a number of highly varied choral musical compositions.-Etymology:The name comes either from the Latin movere, or a Latinized version of Old French mot, "word" or "verbal utterance." The Medieval Latin for "motet" is motectum, and the Italian...
in the new concertato
Concertato
Concertato is a term in early Baroque music referring to either a genre or a style of music in which groups of instruments or voices share a melody, usually in alternation, and almost always over a basso continuo...
style in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
in 1609, an imitative eight-voice Salve Regina
Salve Regina
The "Salve Regina", also known as the Hail Holy Queen, is a Marian hymn and one of four Marian antiphons sung at different seasons within the Christian liturgical calendar of the Roman Catholic Church. The Salve Regina is traditionally sung at Compline in the time from the Saturday before Trinity...
in 1611, and a motet
Motet
In classical music, motet is a word that is applied to a number of highly varied choral musical compositions.-Etymology:The name comes either from the Latin movere, or a Latinized version of Old French mot, "word" or "verbal utterance." The Medieval Latin for "motet" is motectum, and the Italian...
, Audite verbum Dominum, for four voices in 1618. Assandra’s motets
Motet
In classical music, motet is a word that is applied to a number of highly varied choral musical compositions.-Etymology:The name comes either from the Latin movere, or a Latinized version of Old French mot, "word" or "verbal utterance." The Medieval Latin for "motet" is motectum, and the Italian...
were among the first in the Roman style to be published in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, as Borsieri noted. Assandra composed both highly traditional pieces and more innovatory works. One of these innovatory works is Duo seraphim. Her motet O Salutaris hodie, included in Motetti op.2, was one of the first pieces to include ‘violone
Violone
The term violone can refer to several distinct large, bowed musical instruments which belong to either the viol or violin family. The violone is sometimes a fretted instrument, and may have six, five, four, or even only three strings. The violone is also not always a contrabass instrument...
’. She became famous as a composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and organist
Organist
An organist is a musician who plays any type of organ. An organist may play solo organ works, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers or instrumental soloists...
and some of her works were published during her lifetime.
You can also find her music in the book Women Composers: Music Through the Ages.
Listen: Ego Flos Campi (H.Heldstab), http://www.earlywomenmasters.net/midi/mid/assand2.mid