Five Centuries of Women Singers.* Five Centuries of Women Singers, by Isabelle (theory, tool) Isabelle - A generic theorem prover with support for several object-logics, developed by Lawrence C. Paulson A system of type classes allows polymorphic object-logics with overloading and automatic type inference. Five Centuries of Women Singers traces the careers of 20 classical, female vocalists, from madrigal madrigal, name for two different forms of Italian music, one related to the poetic madrigal in the 14th cent., the other the most common form of secular vocal music in the 16th cent. The poetic madrigal is a lyric consisting of one to four strophes of three lines followed by a two-line strophe called a ritornello. The most important 14th-century madrigal composers were Giovanni da Cascia (also known as Giovanni da Florentia) and Jacopo da Bologna (both fl. c. singers to opera divas to art song art song: see song. performers. Each account describes the singer's vocal qualities (usually with excerpts of reviews by contemporaries) and career accomplishments, provides biographical information and assesses her legacy. Selecting 20 singers to represent five centuries of singing is a daunting task. Isabelle Emerson chose professional singers who excelled in a particular area, often overcoming hurdles and advancing their art. She also spotlighted women whose careers reflected the musical/cultural/social life of various countries. In this scholarly but very readable and interesting book, we learn about Barbara Strozzi Palla Strozzi, c.1373–1462, a politician and ardent humanist, furthered Greek studies in Florence and Padua. Filippo Strozzi, 1428–91, was banished by the Medici, gained wealth and influence in Naples, and after his return to Florence began to build the celebrated Strozzi Palace. His son Filippo Strozzi, 1489–1538, married a granddaughter of Lorenzo de' Medici; he was first friendly to the Medici, then became a staunch opponent. (1619-1677) the singer, composer, businesswoman and associate of the Venetian elite, whose talents were so similar to those of courtesans, that her true profession is debatable. We also learn about Anna Renzi (c. 1620-c.1660), who created the prototype of the first operatic prima donna; Nancy Storace (1765-1817), Mozart's "Susanna" (in The Marriage of Figaro) who masterfully combined comedic talent and acting ability with singing; Giuditta Pasta (1797-1865), whose tremendous vocal and dramatic talents inspired Bellini Lorenzo 1643-1704. Italian anatomist known for his description of the anatomy of the kidney and his investigation into the sense of taste. Bellini's duct is named for him. As colorful as the reviews of each singer are, their often-flowery descriptions are sometimes rather repetitive. Unfortunately, no verbal description can truly convey the full measure of a performer's musical gifts. However, when combined with other supporting information, such as the musical works written for that singer (including her own compositions), a fuller appreciation of her talent emerges. The author successfully draws on many information sources for each singer's profile. In assessing the legacies of singers, Emerson should sometimes have taken a broader view. While she successfully conveys the powerful and widespread influence of Lind, comparing her to the singer, Madonna, and noting all the memorabilia she inspired, Emerson did not adequately emphasize the full extent of Anderson's legacy, for instance, which helped break down racial barriers far beyond the field of music--Anderson was an inspiration for our whole society. Overall, this well-written book spotlights the careers of notable but generally forgotten singers, and offers much interesting information on singers who are still well-known. Reviewed by Connie Arrau Sturm, NCTM, Morgantown, West Virginia. * The items marked with this symbol can be ordered via the MTNA website through our affiliation with Amazon.com. Go to www.mtna.org, click on "Resources and Services" and scroll down to the Amazon.com section. |
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