Barbara Strozzi (1619–1677) was a prolific and highly acclaimed Italian Baroque composer and virtuoso singer based in Venice, recognized as one of the most significant composers of secular vocal music in the 17th century. Despite the male-dominated music scene, she published eight volumes of her own music—mostly cantatas and arias for solo voice—and was one of the few women of her time to achieve such recognition.
Key Facts About Barbara Strozzi:
- Background: Born in Venice, she was the daughter of a servant girl and likely the illegitimate daughter of poet and intellectual Giulio Strozzi, who raised and educated her.
- Musical Style: Her compositions are noted for their emotional intensity, using dissonances to express drama, often featuring a blend of recitative, arioso, and aria.
- Career & Success: She was a virtuoso singer who performed her own compositions, often in academic settings like the Accademia degli Unisoni. She published more secular music than almost any other composer in her era.
- Legacy: Strozzi was a rare female professional composer of the period, publishing her works without a male pseudonym and dedicated them to high-ranking patrons.
- Controversy: She was sometimes wrongly rumored to be a courtesan, a misconception likely fueled by her bold public persona and, possibly, portraits.
Although she did not hold a formal church or court position, she successfully navigated a challenging environment, leaving a legacy of over 100 works, including L’Eraclito amoroso.
My Tears (Italian: Lagrime mie) appeared in Strozzi’s seventh volume of music, which was published in 1659 and bore the title The Pleasures of Euterpe (in the mythology of ancient Greece, Euterpe was the Muse of Music).
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