About

Musicke in the Ayre continue their concert series at St Mary's Bathwick with a programme covering 5 centuries of compositions by women, beginning in the High Middle Ages with the 12th-century Abbess, Hildegard von Bingen.

The early church provided musically gifted women a secure environment in which to receive musical training and to exercise their talents: in the 17th century, this allowed women like Isabella Leonarda, Chiara Cozzolani and Lucretia Vizzana to produce outstanding music for the church. By that stage, patronage from the noble courts – particularly in Italy – made it possible for some outstanding women to establish themselves as composers in the secular world.

In Florence in 1607, the Medici court employed the young Francesca Caccini as their leading musician; a decade later, she published an exceptional book of secular and sacred songs. A generation later in Venice, the amazing Barbara Strozzi survived notoriety, holding her own in a male-dominated society; she published 8 books, dedicated to a variety of patrons.

The concert features a contrasting set of sacred and secular pieces by these remarkable women, sung by a new grouping of Musicke in the Ayre's singing team: locally-based Jane Hunt is joined by Carmel Edwards from Derbyshire and Alice Simmons from Marlborough. They'll be accompanied as usual by Din Ghani on various lutes and baroque guitar (most of which were built by him).

Tickers are £11 (inc. fees)