Maria Cattarina Calegari
Encyclopedia
Cornelia [Maria Cattarina (also known as Maria Caterina)] Calegari (1644 – after 1675), was an Italian composer
, singer, organist
, and nun
. She was revered for her singing talents in her home city and became a published composer in 1659, at the age of 15, with the release of her book of motets, Motetti ὰ voce sola.
Cornelia was born at Bergamo
. On 19 April 1661, she took her final vows as a nun at the Benedictine
Convent of Santa Margherita in Milan, taking on the religious name of Maria Cattarina. Her career began in a golden age
of female musicians and composers in Italian convents and she became one of the most famous, drawing crowds from near and far. These performances garnered her the title, La Divina Euterpe, in reference to Euterpe
the muse
. Unchallenged by the complexities of music
, Calegari composed multiple masses
for six voices with instrumental accompaniment, madrigal
s, canzonettas, vespers
, and other sacred music. Furthermore, she was known for conveying great emotion
in her work at a time when most music was devoid of such expression.
In 1663, Archbishop Alfonso Litta and the Catholic Church silenced this musical era
with orders not to produce
or perform
music for at least three years after scandals and concerns regarding music and morality
arose in the region. It is believed that these orders, in combination with a disagreement with the convent over Calegari’s spiritual dowry
, are major factors involved in the disappearance of all physical manifestations of her music leaving only written accounts
of their existence.
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...
, singer, 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 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 revered for her singing talents in her home city and became a published composer in 1659, at the age of 15, with the release of her book of motets, Motetti ὰ voce sola.
Cornelia was born at Bergamo
Bergamo
Bergamo is a town and comune in Lombardy, Italy, about 40 km northeast of Milan. The comune is home to over 120,000 inhabitants. It is served by the Orio al Serio Airport, which also serves the Province of Bergamo, and to a lesser extent the metropolitan area of Milan...
. On 19 April 1661, she took her final vows as a nun at the 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...
Convent of Santa Margherita in Milan, taking on the religious name of Maria Cattarina. Her career began in a golden age
Golden Age (metaphor)
A golden age is a period in a field of endeavour when great tasks were accomplished. The term originated from early Greek and Roman poets who used to refer to a time when mankind lived in a better time and was pure .-Golden Age in society:...
of female musicians and composers in Italian convents and she became one of the most famous, drawing crowds from near and far. These performances garnered her the title, La Divina Euterpe, in reference to Euterpe
Euterpe
In Greek mythology, Euterpe + τέρπειν terpein ) was one of the Muses, the daughters of Mnemosyne, fathered by Zeus. Called the "Giver of delight", when later poets assigned roles to each of the Muses, she was the muse of music. In late Classical times she was named muse of lyric poetry and...
the muse
Muse
The Muses in Greek mythology, poetry, and literature, are the goddesses who inspire the creation of literature and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge, related orally for centuries in the ancient culture, that was contained in poetic lyrics and myths...
. Unchallenged by the complexities of music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
, Calegari composed multiple masses
Mass (music)
The Mass, a form of sacred musical composition, is a choral composition that sets the invariable portions of the Eucharistic liturgy to music...
for six voices with instrumental accompaniment, madrigal
Madrigal (music)
A madrigal is a secular vocal music composition, usually a partsong, of the Renaissance and early Baroque eras. Traditionally, polyphonic madrigals are unaccompanied; the number of voices varies from two to eight, and most frequently from three to six....
s, canzonettas, vespers
Vespers
Vespers is the evening prayer service in the Western Catholic, Eastern Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and Lutheran liturgies of the canonical hours...
, and other sacred music. Furthermore, she was known for conveying great emotion
Emotion
Emotion is a complex psychophysiological experience of an individual's state of mind as interacting with biochemical and environmental influences. In humans, emotion fundamentally involves "physiological arousal, expressive behaviors, and conscious experience." Emotion is associated with mood,...
in her work at a time when most music was devoid of such expression.
In 1663, Archbishop Alfonso Litta and the Catholic Church silenced this musical era
Era
An era is a commonly used word for long period of time. When used in science, for example geology, eras denote clearly defined periods of time of arbitrary but well defined length, such as for example the Mesozoic era from 252 Ma–66 Ma, delimited by a start event and an end event. When used in...
with orders not to produce
Produce
Produce is a generalized term for a group of farm-produced goods and, not limited to fruits and vegetables . More specifically, the term "produce" often implies that the products are fresh and generally in the same state as where they were harvested. In supermarkets the term is also used to refer...
or perform
PerForm
PerForm and PerForm PRO were electronic form programs, initially designed to work under GEM in DOS. Later versions were designed to work in Windows 3.1, at which point it was succeeded by FormFlow....
music for at least three years after scandals and concerns regarding music and morality
Morality
Morality is the differentiation among intentions, decisions, and actions between those that are good and bad . A moral code is a system of morality and a moral is any one practice or teaching within a moral code...
arose in the region. It is believed that these orders, in combination with a disagreement with the convent over Calegari’s spiritual dowry
Dowry
A dowry is the money, goods, or estate that a woman brings forth to the marriage. It contrasts with bride price, which is paid to the bride's parents, and dower, which is property settled on the bride herself by the groom at the time of marriage. The same culture may simultaneously practice both...
, are major factors involved in the disappearance of all physical manifestations of her music leaving only written accounts
Personal account
A personal account is an account for use by an individual for that person's own needs. It is a relative term to differentiate them from those accounts for corporate or business use...
of their existence.
External links
- http://www.intreccifemminili.com/Eng/Calegari_E.html
- http://www.dolmetsch.com/cdefsc.htm