Cappella Artemisia
All-female vocal ensemble specializing in 17th-century Italian convent music.
Cappella Artemisia is an Italian vocal ensemble composed entirely of women, dedicated to the music of 17th-century Italian convents. It was founded by Candace Smith, an American singer and musicologist based in Italy, who also co-publishes editions of this repertoire through Artemisia Editions with her husband, cornettist Bruce Dickey. The group is notable for its focus on works by nun composers such as Raphaella Aleotti, Chiara Margarita Cozzolani, and Isabella Leonarda, as well as pieces by male composers who dedicated their music to convents.
Quick Facts
- Founded by
- Candace Smith
- Country
- Italy
- Repertoire focus
- Music of 17th-century Italian convents, including works by nun composers
Facts from the source article.
Discography
The ensemble's recordings include 'Rosa Mistica – musiche delle monache lombarde del‘600' on the Smith label (TC.600003) and 'Raphaella Aleotti a.k.a. Vittoria Aleotti – Le monache di San Vito. The Nuns of San Vito', which features works by nun composers alongside pieces by Ercole Pasquini, Lorenzo Agnelli, Giovanni Battista Chinelli, and Giovanni Battista Mazzaferrata (Smith TC.570101). 'Chiara Margarita Cozzolani – I vespri natalizi. Christmas Vespers (1650)' appears on Smith TC.600301, while 'Canti Nel Chiostro – Musica nei monasteri femminili di Bologna' is on TC.600001.
'Soror mea, sponsa mea – Canticum Canticorum nei Conventi' includes works by nun composers and by Giovanni Paolo Cima, Adriano Banchieri, Sisto Reina, Benedetto Re, Agostino Soderini, and Francesco Martini (Smith TC.560002). 'Scintillate, amicae stellae: Christmas in the Convents of 16th- and 17th-century Italy' (Tactus 280003, 2011) and 'Weep and Rejoice: Music for Holy Week from the Convents of 17th-Century Italy' (Brilliant Classics 946.38, 2014) both mix nun composers with male composers such as Adriano Banchieri, Tiburzio Massaino, and others.
The ensemble is accompanied by an instrumental consort; for the 2011 Christmas release, the singers were Elena Biscuola, Pamela Lucciarini, Anna Simboli, Candace Smith, Patrizia Vaccari, Silvia Vajente, Barbara Zanichelli, Francesca Bagli, and Federica Di Leonardo, with instrumentalists including Davide Monti and Elisa Bestetti on violins, Sofia Ruffino, Bettina Hoffmann, and Sofia Gonzato on viola da gamba, Silvia Moroni on flute, Maria Christina Cleary on baroque harp, Stefano Rocco on theorbo and baroque guitar, and Miranda Aureli on organ and harpsichord.
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