EARTHLY ANGELS MUSIC FROM 17TH CENTURY NUN CONVENTS MILANESE GIRLS SENT TO BECOME NUNS In the Duchy of Milan in what is now northern , it was a common practice in the 17th century for young girls to enter a convent. In many cases, this was because of circumstances rather than devotion and could not be described as voluntary: at the time, the dowry that a bride’s family was expected to pay her groom on marriage had become incredibly large and hence in many cases unaffordable. According to Robert L. Kendrick (Celestial Sirens, 1996), as many as 75% of the daughters of some aristocratic families in Milan became nuns around the turn of the 17th century; in the second half of the 17th century, the percentage was 48%. This meant that many daughters of the nobility – in some families, all of them – faced a lifetime behind convent walls. Although the girls had no say in the matter, their families did make contributions to ensure that their living conditions in the convent were reasonable.

The nuns of some convents were very well known in the surrounding community and had both an inner church (chiesa interiore) for their own de- votions and an outer church (chiesa esteriore) that visitors could attend. These two churches were separated by a wall, so that there was no visual contact between the nuns and the visitors. Sound, on the other hand – speech and song – passed freely through openings near the ceiling. Masses were officiated in the outer church. MUSIC IN THE CONVENTS Monastic life was largely governed by the nuns and their families. Music was seen as a suitable occupation, and in most convents nuns were given musical training. Two thirds of the 41 convents that existed in Milan around the year 1600 are known to have practiced polyphonic music-making, indicating a musical education of a high quality. The convent of Santa Radegonda, centrally located adjacent to the Cathedral of Milan, was particularly known for its musi- cal activities and even then was a venerable institution, having been in existence since before the year 870. Filippo Picinelli wrote of the finest singers in all of Italy, particularly one Cozzolani:

“Le Monache di Santa Radegonda di Milano, nel possesso della musica sono dotate di così rara isquisitezza, che vengono riconosciute per le prime cantatrici d’Italia. (…) Frà queste Religiose, merita sommi vanti Donna Chiara Margarita Cozzolani, Chiara di nome, mà più i merito; e Margarita, per nobilità d’ingegno, rara, ed eccellente, che se nell’anno 1620. iui s’indossò quell’abito sacro, fece nell’essercitio della musica riuscite così grandi;” The nuns of Santa Radegonda in Milan are in possession of a music of rare exquisite- ness and are recognised as the finest singers in Italy. [...] Among these sisters, excep- tional notice is merited by Donna Chiara Margarita Cozzolani – Chiara [=bright] by name but even more so by ability, and Margarita [=pearl] like the rare gem of noble ingenuity and excellence that she is. She took holy orders in 1620 and achieved greatness in the practice of music. The nuns financed their professional activities by allowing visitors from all around Europe to listen to their music for a fee, and thereby their reputation spread. Cozzolani was a prominent musician and in northern Italy in her lifetime, and she published four collections of her compositions. Sadly, only two of these have survived.

The instrumentation of the nuns’ music depended on the musicians and singers that were available in the convents at any given time. Therefore all the vocal parts (even tenor and bass) were written for the nuns. Also, the nuns were limited to instruments that were to hand. At Santa Radegonda, the focus was on vocal works with continuo, while Isabella Leonarda at Collegio di Sant’Orsola in Novara also produced virtuoso pieces for .

A WOMAN’S CHASTITY AND SEXUALITY In those days, a woman’s chastity was her most important characteristic and her most cherished asset. Contemporary medicine drew a parallel between a woman’s mouth and her womb, and to avoid becoming agitated it was best to keep the mouth closed. Lodovico Dolce wrote: “E per raccoglier le molte parole in una, bellissima laude della Donna è il silentio.” [To put it briefly, a woman’s most beautiful song is silence.] Beyond the convent walls, there was a constant tug-of-war between chastity and ruination; in the convent, by contrast, the nuns were always out of sight of their listeners and lived their lives aloof from the world around them. The Virgin Mary was an important role model for the nuns, and Jesus was an object of longing. According to Kendrick, the Eucharist was associated with the physical presence of Jesus. Isabella Leonarda’s work Volo Jesum begins with a declaration of longing for Jesus:

“Volo Jesum dilectum, Amo Christum amantem, et suspiro invocantem in me spiritum rectum.” I desire Jesus; I love Christ, the loving one; and I sigh for Him who seeks a righteous spirit in me.

It is rare to find such physical attraction described in sacred repertoire. Besides the text, the affects of the melody – its emotional shapes – express lamenting sighs and cries for Jesus. This is a very personal and very carnal notion. At the core of the work, however, is the strong feminine subject and her direct approach to and contact with the object.

“Sanguis emundat, lac me purificat, sanguis me recreat, lac refocillat, sanguis inebriat, lac me laetificat. O vulnera, ubera, o sanguis, o lac, aurea vulnera, ubera dulcia.” With blood [he] saves me, with milk [she] purifies me, with blood [he] revives me, with milk [she] heals me, with blood [he] intoxicates me, with milk [she] delights me. O wound and breast, O blood and milk; golden wound, sweet breast.

This extract from the duet O quam bonus est by Cozzolani goes even further in its physical coexistence with the body and blood of Christ and also the nourishing breast of the Virgin Mary. The vocal parts are written for two sopranos, and they often repeat the same phrases in the same tessitura. This lends a suggestive and medi- tative intensity to the text, expressing the spiritual and corporeal longing for Jesus and Mary and for the bliss of heaven. THE & THEIR WORKS

Isabella Leonarda (1620–1704) was a prolific composer who published 20 col- lections of music. She also published a collection of trio sonatas for violin and in 1693. How could she write music at such a pace? She was born into a noble family that was able to provide her with a sound musical education, both as a child and after she had taken the veil. In the convent, she eventually advanced to be- come Abbess, in which position she presumably could allow more time for her music.

We know very little about Maria Xaveria Perucona (c.1652–c.1709). She was born into a noble family in Novara and entered a convent, the Collegio di Sant’Orsola in Galliate, at the age of 16. She is best known for the publication Sacri concerti de motetti a una, due, tre, e quattro voce, parte con Violini, e parte senza (1675). Leonarda and Perucona lived their lives in geographic proximity: Novara and Galliate are only 7 km apart.

Rosa Giacinta Badalla (c.1660–c.1710) was a nun at Santa Radegonda like Coz- zolani but was almost 60 years younger than her. Badalla’s musical idiom is explosive and surprising in both its melodic development and its modulations. She wrote hair-raising coloratura for voices, and the tessiturae of her vocal parts are higher than those of her older colleagues. Both Badalla and Cozzolani wrote a number of secular works in addition to their sacred music and must thus have had contact with the musical world outside the convent. The duet O quam bonus es by Chiara Margarita Cozzolani (1602– c.1677) is written for two intertwined soprano voices and basso continuo. The text is a detailed description of Jesus at his Mother’s breast: how her milk heals and his blood saves, and the tight bond between the two. The melodic writing and the intense text breed a suggestive and meditative atmosphere that is very much a corporeal experience.

Claudia Rusca (1593–1676) was a nun at the Umiliate convent of Santa Caterina in Brera. She was a well-known singer, organist and music teacher. Her only known published collection of music was destroyed in a library fire in 1943. Benedetto Re (dates not known) was conductor (maestro di cappella) at the Cathedral of Pavia from 1606 to 1626 and is chiefly remembered as the composition teacher of a nun named Caterina Assandra.

This music was created in a unique setting. The music of these earthly angels is quite extraordinary in many ways, not least in how it combines text and music in a bodily, internalised and emotional way. The idiom is highly personal and thereby represents a unique feminine voice within the Church.

Kajsa Dahlbäck, Translation: Jaakko Mäntyjärvi EARTHLY ANGELS

The early music ensemble Earthly Angels was founded by Kajsa Dahlbäck in 2016 for her second doctoral concert at the Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki. Nowadays Earthly Angels consists of early music professionals from around Europe with a solid core of Finnish top players. It is an ensemble of high profile for vocal chamber music mainly from the 17th and 18th centuries and looks forward to many groundbreaking projects in the future. Earthly Angels focuses on a close, embodied relationship between text and music, on finding new interesting music from the early music repertoire and on making the early music meaningful for audiences today. MARIA XAVERIA PERUCONA: Ad gaudia, ad iubila

Ad gaudia, ad iubila Pastores, Rejoice and make merry, O shepherds, vos invito, sì, sì, I invite you, yes, yes, sì currite laetantes populi hurry with joy, ye people, omnes unanimes laetate. and let us all unite in rejoicing.

Est natus Dominus in nostro stabulo The Lord is born in our stable, in feno arido unde fregescit. in the dry hay he lies and is cold. Vagitus clamitent mater carissima Soothe his cries, O dearest mother, nudus in palea liquesco. the child lies naked in the hay.

Quid ergo moramini Why do you tarry? accurrite et natus puerulo, Hurry to the newborn boy, currite una cunctis laetitia hurry to the universal joy, vera Caeli delitia in terra orta est. the delight of the true heaven is born on earth.

Dormi puer blande mi tace si, Sleep softly, O child, and be calm, nec suspira sine vi, sigh without care, care cor amate audime, rogo te. dear precious heart, hear me, I seek thee. Dormi et tace, dormi in pace. Sleep and be silent, sleep in peace.

Text: Unknown Translation: Jaakko Mäntyjärvi ISABELLA LEONARDA: Volo Jesum

Volo Jesum dilectum, I desire the beloved Jesus, amo Christum amantem I love the loving Christ, et suspiro invocantem and I sigh for him who calls upon in me spiritum rectum. an upright spirit within me. Nam Jesus est amantis vera vita, For Jesus is the true life of the lover who loves, dulcedo infinita an infinite sweetness quae cor satiat delitiis Angelorum which satiates the heart with the delights of et nectare sanctorum. the angels and with the nectar of the saints. In anima non veniunt lamenta Laments do not come into the souls. si Jesu sit contenta, If with Jesus it [the soul] is content, ah, quid non properatis, ah, why do you not hasten, homines insensati, irrational mankind, ad Jesum meum. to my Jesus? Cur moras non vitatis Why do you not avoid delay, ut inveniatis Deum. that you may discover God?

Ah, venite, volate, Ah, come, fly, si vos amatis vos, Deum amate. if you love yourselves, love God. Mi dilecte Jesu care, My dear beloved Jesus, te adoro, te suspiro, I adore you, I sigh after you, in te spero, pro te spiro meum cor, my hope is in you, I breathe out my heart for qui me potes recreare, you, you who can restore me, mi dilecte Jesu care. my dear beloved Jesus. Dulcis ignis et flamma es, You are sweet fire and flame, ardens cor suavi ardor, burning my heart with sweet ardor, et in flammis es dulcis spes. and in the flames you are sweet hope.

Gaudiorum laetus mons, A happy mountain of joys, tu miraculum amoris, you are the wonder of love, rivulorum et ardoris, of the rivers and the flame, paradisi vivus fons. the living fountain of Paradise. O faelicem qui amat te, O happy the one who loves you, nam amantem fugit mors, O blessed destiny of the heart. o beata cordis sors. You are sweet fire… Dulcis ignis…

Text: Unknown Translation: James Callahan ROSA GIACINTA BADALLA: Non plangete

Non plangete, no Oh ancient fathers, antiqui Patres, you who are in silent shadows, in your in umbra taciturna, in cella nocturna nocturnal cell of dark Limbo, do not weep; limbi obscuri; gaudete, non plangete. but rather rejoice, do not weep, no.

O veridici prophetae, vaticinia beata, O true prophecies, blessed augurs, iam ex radice Jesse nata est virga, now a rod has sprung from the root of Jesse: beatissima Virgo que germinabit the most blessed Virgin, she who will Nazarenum florem germinate the flower of Nazareth, et producet Salvatorem. and will produce the Savior.

Cara dies, fortunata, What a happy and lucky day! me rapite caeli aeterni, Eternal heavens, bear me away; iam sunt clausae portae inferni, for now the gates of hell are shut. sum contenta, sum beata; I am happy and blessed; cara dies, fortunata. What a happy and lucky day!

In glorioso estasi pro tanto contentu My soul is raised up in glorious ecstasy elevatur anima mea, pro Maria nascente for such bliss; my heart exults with such joy cum tanto gaudio exultat meum cor. for Mary's birth.

Non plus me tentate, no, mundane Sirenae; Worldly sirens, tempt me no more; iam vestrae catene nunc sunt conquassatae, for your chains have now been conquered; non plus me tentate, no. tempt me no more.

Alleluia. Alleluia.

Text: Unknown Translation R. Kendrick ROSA GIACINTA BADALLA: Pane angelico

Pane angelico et divino With angelic and divine bread sacra mensa nostram famem satiat this sacred meal sates our hunger et nectare caelesti and with celestial nectar animam fidelem recreat. restores the faithful soul.

De caelo rapidi From heaven, quickly, o chori angelici o angelic choirs, venite volate. come on wings. Et Dei beneficii And ecstatic with the love amore stupidi of God’s goodness, sic exclamate. cry out in this way. De caelo rapidi… From heaven quickly…

O summi benefitii O highest gift o admirandi prodigii o marvelous prodigies, ineffabilis excessus indescribable surfeit, o incomparabilis divino amore o incomparable honor granted fragili creaturae honor concessus. by divine love to a fragile creature.

Tanto prodigio Love triumphs triumpha amor through such a marvel; exulta in gaudio beatum cor. a blessed heart exalts in joy.

Fortunati mortales O lucky mortals, mensae Caelestis gustate delitias enjoy the delicacies et angelico pane of the heavenly supper, refecti cantando iubilate. and refreshed by angelic bread rejoice in singing.

Alleluia. Alleluia.

Text: Unknown Translation: R. Kendrick CHIARA MARGARITA COZZOLANI: O quam bonus es

O quam bonus es, O quam suavis, O how good you are, O how soft, O quam jocundus, mi Jesu; O how joyful, my Jesus;

O quam benigna es, O quam dulcis, O how kindly you are, O how sweet, quam deliciosa, O Maria, how delightful, O Mary, diligenti, suspiranti, in seeking, sighing, possidenti, degustanti te. possessing, enjoying you.

O me felicem, O me beatum. O happy, blessed me. Hinc pascor a vulnere, Now I graze from His wound; hinc lactor ab ubere, now I nurse at her breast; quo me vertam nescio. I do not know where to turn next. In vulnere vita, in ubere salus, In His wound is life; in her breast, salvation; in vulnere quies, in ubere pax, in His wound, quiet; in her breast, peace; in vulnere nectar, in ubere favum, in His wound, nectar; in her breast, honey; in vulnere jubilus, in ubere gaudium, in His wound, rejoicing; in her breast, joy; in vulnere Jesus, in ubere, Virgo. in the wound of Jesus; in your breast, O Virgin.

O me felicem, O me beatum, O happy, blessed me; quo me vertam nescio. I do not know where to turn next.

Sanguis emundat, lac me purificat, His blood saves me; her milk purifies me; sanguis me recreat, lac refocillat, His blood revives me, her milk restores me; sanguis inebriat, His blood inebriates me; lac me laetificat. her milk makes me joyous. O vulnera, O ubera, O sanguis, O lac, O wounds, O breasts, O blood, O milk, aurea vulnera, ubera dulcia. golden wounds, sweet breasts. Sanguis amabilis, nectare dulcior, O lovable blood, sweeter than nectar, manna jucundior. happier than manna.

Lac exoptabile, melle suavior, Desirable milk, sweeter than honey, favo nobilius. more refined than the honeycomb. Te amo, te diligo, te cupio, I love you, I seek you, I desire you, te volo, te sitio, te quaero, I want you, I thirst for you, I seek you, te bibo, te gusto. I drink you, I enjoy you.

O me felicem, O me beatum. O happy, blessed me. Te amo, te diligo, te cupio, I love you, I seek you, I desire you, te volo, te sitio, te quaero, I want you, I thirst for you, I seek you, te bibo, te gusto. I drink you, I enjoy you.

O me felicem, O me beatum, O happy, blessed me, quo me vertam nescio. I do not know where to turn next. Hoc sanguine pascar, May I feed on this blood, hoc lacte reficiar, may I be refreshed by this milk, in vulnere vivam, may I live in His wound, in ubere moriar. may I die in her breast.

O potus, O cibus, O risus, O drink, O food, O laughter, O gaudium; O felix vita, beata mors. O joy; O happy life, blessed death.

Text: Unknown Translation: R. Kendrick Finnish soprano Kajsa Dahlbäck is an ex- perienced interpreter of early, classical and contemporary music. She has performed as soloist with many orchestras, among them with Tapiola Sinfonietta, Helsinki Ba- roque Orchestra and the Finnish Baroque Or- chestra at festivals such as the Bolzano (Italy), Musica Antigua (Brazil), Brezice (Slovenia). Her debut at the Finnish National Opera was in 2015 as Drusilla and Amor (voice) in Mon- teverdi’s L’Incoronazione di Poppea.

Ms Dahlbäck is artistic director of Vaasa Ba- roque, an early music festival in Vaasa, Finland that she founded in 2013. She conducts Vaasa Baroque Ensemble and has also conducted e.g. Finnish Baroque Orchestra and Vaasa City Orchestra. Ms Dahlbäck is currently finaliz- ing her artistic doctoral studies at the Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki and is appointed dean of the cultural department of Novia University of Applied Sciences (Jakob- stad, Finland) since August 2018. Peter Spissky is concertmaster in Copenhagen and musical director of Camer- ata Øresund. As guest concertmaster/director he appears regularly with Barokkanerne in Oslo, Finnish Baroque Orchestra, Jönköping Sinfonietta, Ostrobothnian Chamber Orches- tra, and Tallinn Chamber Orchestra.

In 2017, Peter Spissky became musical director of Næstved Early Music Festival (NEMF). Peter Spissky teaches baroque violin at the Musikhög- skolan i Malmö, Det Kongelige Danske Musik- konservatorium in Copenhagen, Novia Universi- ty of Applied Sciences (Jakobstad, Finland), and gives Master Classes all around Scandinavia.

In October 2017 he successfully defended his doctoral thesis ‘Ups and Downs – Violin Bow- ing as Gesture’ at Lund University, Sweden. Aira Maria Lehtipuu is a versatile violinist specialized in early music. Throughout the years she has played in several of the most established en- sembles of the European early music scene. Her roles as a musician alter flexibly from the concert master to a viola player and from 16th century repertoire to cross-over folk-baroque. Recently, besides various chamber music projects, teaching and being one or the core players of the Hel- sinki Baroque orchestra, she has been leading the Finnish Baroque Orches- tra and Polish Kore. In her home town Lehtipuu enjoys the closeness of the nature and runs the Café Ba- rock Tampere concert series. Baroque opera and orchestral director, Early Harp virtuoso, continuo-wizard, specialist in baroque gesture, Andrew Lawrence-King is one of the world’s leading performers of Early Music. As composer, his first operas, Kalevala (traditional Karelian melodies) and a re-make of Monteverdi’s lost Arianna, were premiered in 2017. Accolades include UK Gramophone Award, US Grammy and as director of Opera Omnia, Moscow, Russia’s highest mu- sic-theatre award, the Golden Mask. He visits Finland frequently to direct Os- trobothnian Chamber Orchestra and Kymi Sinfonietta, to record with Kree- ta-Maria Kentala and Utopia Chamber Choir, and for cross-country skiing. When Eero Palviainen picked up the Baroque lute for the first time, some 30 years ago, he immediately fell in love with the instrument and its timbre. At the time, he studied at the Turku Conservatory before transferring to the Sibelius Academy, to study with Leif Karlson. In 1987 he continued with Hopkinson Smith at the Schola Cantorum in Basel, re- ceiving a diploma in 1992. He has given many solo recitals and played in numerous ensembles around the world, such as L’Arpeggiata, Arte dei Suonatori, and Helsinki Baroque Orchestra. He also plays the Renais- sance lute, vihuela, archlute, theorbo, Baroque guitar and is a lute builder. Harpsichordist Marianna Hen- riksson performs in Finland and all over Europe as a soloist and as a member of many different ensem- bles, e.g. with Les Ambassadeurs (France) and Helsinki Baroque Or- chestra (Finland). She toured with European Union Baroque Orchestra seasons 2013-14 with renowned con- ductors. Her versatile activities as a harpsichordist include e.g. recording of Finnish folk music, contemporary dance productions, opera produc- tions from Monteverdi via Stravinsky to Saariaho, and premieres of con- temporary music. Her debut solo re- cording of 17th century Italian music was released in April 2018. THANKS TO Victoriastiftelsen, the Finnish Cultural Foundation, the Swedish Cultural Foundation in Finland and Svensk-Österbottniska samfundet for funding this recording. Anna Villberg is a Finnish singer and vocal teacher. After Thanks to Helene Liljeström (Swedish Parish of Sibbo), Sanna-Maarit Hakkarainen (Helsinki Parish Union), her studies at the Sibelius Acad- Robert L. Kendrick, Stewart Carter and James Callahan for their kind and emy she has specialized in perfor- generous help in this project. mance of early music. * * * * RECORDED AT Her expressive high voice ac- Sipoo Church, 1–3 July 2017 commodates perfectly to the RECORDED, MIXED AND MASTERED BY performance of first soprano in Mikko Murtoniemi renowned renaissance polyphony ARTISTIC PRODUCER groups Lumen Valo and Giardino Jussi Lehtipuu Novo. COVER PHOTO Cata Portin GRAPHIC DESIGN Antti Hannuniemi EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Erkki Nisonen THANKS TO Victoriastiftelsen, the Finnish Cultural Foundation, the Swedish Cultural Foundation in Finland and Svensk-Österbottniska samfundet for funding this recording.

Th anks to Helene Liljeström (Swedish Parish of Sibbo), Sanna-Maarit Hakkarainen (Helsinki Parish Union), Robert L. Kendrick, Stewart Carter and James Callahan for their kind and generous help in this project.

* * * * RECORDED AT Sipoo Church, 1–3 July 2017 RECORDED, MIXED AND MASTERED BY Mikko Murtoniemi ARTISTIC PRODUCER Jussi Lehtipuu COVER PHOTO Cata Portin GRAPHIC DESIGN Antti Hannuniemi EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Erkki Nisonen MARIA XAVERIA PERUCONA (c.1652 - c.1709) 1. Ad gaudia, ad iubila 6:16 Sacri Concerti de Motetti a una, due, tre e quattro voci. Francesco Vigone, Milano, 1675 ISABELLA LEONARDA (1620-1704) 2. Volo Jesum 9:39 Sacri Concerti a una, due, tre, et quattro voci … opera terza. Fratelli Camagni, Milano, 1670 CLAUDIA RUSCA (1593-1676) 3. Canzon seconda 2:30 Sacri concert à 1-5 con salmi e canzoni francesi. Giorgio Rolla, Milano, 1630 ROSA GIACINTA BADALLA (c.1660-c.1710) 4. Non plangete 7:28 Motetti a voce sola. G. Sala, Venezia, 1684 ISABELLA LEONARDA 5. Violin sonata no. XII 10:01 Sonate à 1. 2. 3. e 4. istromenti … opera decima sesta. Pier-Maria Monti, Bologna, 1693 ROSA GIACINTA BADALLA 6. Pane angelico 5:44 Motetti a voce sola. G. Sala, Venezia, 1684

BENEDETTO RE (fl. 1606-1626) 7. Canzona à 4 5:07 Motetti a dua, e trè voci …, op.2. Caterina Assandra, Milano, 1609 CHIARA MARGARITA COZZOLANI (1602 - c.1677) 8. O quam bonus es 10:04 Salmi a otto concertati… opera terza. Alessandro Vincenti, Venezia, 1650

TOTAL 56:49