Vittoria Aleotti
Encyclopedia
Vittoria Aleotti believed to be the same as Raffaella Aleotti (c. 1570–after 1646) was an Italian
Augustinian
nun, a composer
and organist
.
to the prominent architect Giovanni Battista Aleotti, and was mentioned in his will, written in 1631. According to her father, Vittoria became interested in music after listening to her older sister being taught music. Within a year, Vittoria had mastered instruments, mainly the harpsichord
, and voice so well that she was sent to train with Alessandro Milleville and Ercole Pasquini
. At the age of 6 or 7, after working with Pasquini, it was suggested that Vittoria be sent to Ferrara’s San Vito, a convent famous for fostering musical talents. By the age of 14, Vittoria chose to enter the convent and dedicate her life to service.
This confusion of identity arises from Giovanni, who wrote the dedication for Vittoria, in her only published book of music. In it he suggests that while his oldest daughter was being prepared to become a nun and trained in music, his younger daughter, Vittoria, overheard and took a liking to music. With this knowledge, some suggest that Vittoria and Raffaella are two different women. To support this assertion, many have written that it was almost impossible and highly unlikely that the same woman would publish two books of different music under two different names. In addition, it is said that while Vittoria entrusted the dedication to her works to her father, Raffaella took full responsibility of writing her own dedication, thus insinuating the stark personality differences as well.
It should be noted that after 1593, Vittoria is never heard of again while Raffaella gained tremendous fame for her musical abilities to perform and to lead.
In 1591, Vittoria published a single madrigal
(Di pallide viole), in a musical anthology: Il giardino de musici ferraresi. Two years later, she set music to eight poems by Giovanni Battista Guarini
, which her father later sent to Count del Zaffo, who had them printed in Venice
by Giacomo Vincenti
. This book of madrigals was entitled Ghirlanda de madrigali a quatro voci.
Raffaella:
In the same year as Vittoria published her book of madrigals, Raffaella published a book of motets. Printed by Amadino in 1593, Sacrae cantiones quinque, septem, octo, & decem vocibus decantande, was the first sacred book of music by a woman to appear in print.
as having the talent and the skills to lead an ensemble of twenty-three nuns; she was also the Maestra at the convent until her death. Raffaella enjoyed complex music and would often use harmony and dissonance to heighten the text. However, she was at times criticized because some thought that as the music became more complex by utilizing more voices, the holiness of the music disappeared and gave way to pleasure.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Augustinian
Augustinian nuns
Augustinian nuns are the most ancient and continuous segment of the Roman Catholic Augustinian religious order under the canons of contemporary historical method. The Augustinian nuns, named after Saint Augustine of Hippo , are several Roman Catholic enclosed monastic orders of women living...
nun, a composer
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...
and 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...
.
Personal Life and Musical Growth
She was born in FerraraFerrara
Ferrara is a city and comune in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, capital city of the Province of Ferrara. It is situated 50 km north-northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main stream of the Po River, located 5 km north...
to the prominent architect Giovanni Battista Aleotti, and was mentioned in his will, written in 1631. According to her father, Vittoria became interested in music after listening to her older sister being taught music. Within a year, Vittoria had mastered instruments, mainly the harpsichord
Harpsichord
A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
, and voice so well that she was sent to train with Alessandro Milleville and Ercole Pasquini
Ercole Pasquini
-Biography:Ercole Pasquini was born at Ferrara, and studied with Alessandro Milleville . He was described by Agostino Superbi as a most clever and excellent musician and organist...
. At the age of 6 or 7, after working with Pasquini, it was suggested that Vittoria be sent to Ferrara’s San Vito, a convent famous for fostering musical talents. By the age of 14, Vittoria chose to enter the convent and dedicate her life to service.
Controversy of Identity
Giovanni Battista Aleotti is said to have five daughters. Although there is no record of a daughter named Raffaella, it has been assumed that Vittoria changed her name once she dedicated herself to service. There are many accounts that suggest that Vittoria and Raffaella are two different sisters while others that assert that the two are the same woman.This confusion of identity arises from Giovanni, who wrote the dedication for Vittoria, in her only published book of music. In it he suggests that while his oldest daughter was being prepared to become a nun and trained in music, his younger daughter, Vittoria, overheard and took a liking to music. With this knowledge, some suggest that Vittoria and Raffaella are two different women. To support this assertion, many have written that it was almost impossible and highly unlikely that the same woman would publish two books of different music under two different names. In addition, it is said that while Vittoria entrusted the dedication to her works to her father, Raffaella took full responsibility of writing her own dedication, thus insinuating the stark personality differences as well.
It should be noted that after 1593, Vittoria is never heard of again while Raffaella gained tremendous fame for her musical abilities to perform and to lead.
Musical Works
Vittoria:In 1591, Vittoria published a single 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....
(Di pallide viole), in a musical anthology: Il giardino de musici ferraresi. Two years later, she set music to eight poems by Giovanni Battista Guarini
Giovanni Battista Guarini
Giovanni Battista Guarini was an Italian poet, dramatist, and diplomat.- Life :He was born in Ferrara, and spent his early life both in Padua and Ferrara, entering the service of Alfonso II d'Este, Duke of Ferrara, in 1567...
, which her father later sent to Count del Zaffo, who had them printed in Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
by Giacomo Vincenti
Giacomo Vincenti
Giacomo Vincenti was an Italian bookseller and music printer from Venice. He also spelled his name Vincenci and Vincenzi. He started printing in 1583. His partner was Ricciardo Amadino, and between 1583 and 1586 they printed about twenty books a year, mostly editions of music...
. This book of madrigals was entitled Ghirlanda de madrigali a quatro voci.
Raffaella:
In the same year as Vittoria published her book of madrigals, Raffaella published a book of motets. Printed by Amadino in 1593, Sacrae cantiones quinque, septem, octo, & decem vocibus decantande, was the first sacred book of music by a woman to appear in print.
Musical style
Raffaella was renowned for her skills at the organ and also well known in playing other instruments such as the harpsichord, the trombones, and other wind instruments. She was relentlessly praised by Ercole BottrigariErcole Bottrigari
Ercole Bottrigari was an Italian scholar, mathematician, poet, music theorist, architect, and composer. The illegitimate son of Giovanni Battista Bottrigari, he was legitimized in 1538 and raised in his household in Bologna...
as having the talent and the skills to lead an ensemble of twenty-three nuns; she was also the Maestra at the convent until her death. Raffaella enjoyed complex music and would often use harmony and dissonance to heighten the text. However, she was at times criticized because some thought that as the music became more complex by utilizing more voices, the holiness of the music disappeared and gave way to pleasure.
Extant works by Aleotti
- Motet: Angelus ad pastores ait (text of Luke 2:10-11)
- Motet: Ego flos campi (a 7 vv), R. Aleotti
- Il giardino de musici ferraresi (1591)
- Sacrae cantiones quinque, septem, octo, & decem vocibus decantande (1593) Book of Motets for five, seven, eight, and ten voices.
- Ghirlanda de madrigali a quatro voci (1593). Book of Madrigals for four voices
- Renditions of her songs are available on many CDs including O Dulcis Amor4.