Suor Isabella Leonarda (1620-1704) was the most prolific woman composer of the 17th century. She published no fewer than 20 collections of motets and other sacred music, nearly 200 compositions spanning virtually every genre of sacred music of her time, as well as the only complete collection of instrumental works by an Italian woman in the 1600s. This recording is a tribute to her artistry. • Born and baptized as Anna Isabella Leonardi on 6 Sept. 1620, she belonged to one of the most illustrious families of Novara. She studied at home before entering the Congregazione delle Vergini di S. Orsola at age 16. She took her vows three years later and remained in this convent until her death in 1704, at the age of 84. During her long life, Isabella served in all capacities: mater discreta et cancellaria, magistra musicae, superiora, and finally consigliera. She was clearly a woman of extraordinary capacities and talent.
The only instrumental works by Isabella Leonarda are the twelve sonatas for 1, 2, 3 and 4 instruments belonging to Opus 16. No woman prior to Leonarda produced so much non liturgical music, and she is the only woman in the 17th century to have published sonatas for the church. The first eleven sonatas in this recording are written for two violins, violone and organ continuo, which makes them all trio sonatas in which the violone part dialogues on equal terms with the violins. These excellent works show that Leonarda belongs to the group of composers of the 1600s who significantly contributed to the development of the trio sonata, a genre later perfected by Arcangelo Corelli.
Founded in 2014 by the violinist Ewa Anna Augustynowicz, Ensemble Giardino di Delizie is a female quartet of early-music experts based in Rome but working internationally, not only with each other but also within groups led by Christophe Coin, Enrico Onofri, Fabio Bondi and other luminaries of modern Baroque performance. Their previous recordings with music by Lonati (BC 95590), Colista (BC 96033) and Stradella (BC 96079)were reviewed enthusiastically by the international press.
