Magnificat

Isabella Leonarda Sonata duodecima (1693) Magnificat Rob Diggins, violin Warren Stewart, violoncello David Tayler, theorbo Hanneke van Proosdij, organ live, unedited performance February 2, 2003 St. Gregory Nyssen Church San Francisco CA [audio http://votetrustusa.org/Magnificat/Isabella%20Sonata%2012%20030202.mp3] Download this Track In 1724, the eminent theorist and collector music Sébastian de Brossard wrote in praise of the works of Isabella Leonarda that “all of the works of this illustrious and incomparable composer are so beautiful, so gracious, so brilliant and at the same time so knowledgeable and so wise, that my great regret is in not having them all.” Isabella’s instrumental works, which appeared in 1693, are apparently the earliest published sonatas by a woman.  The collection consists of eleven trio sonatas and one sonata for solo violin and continuo.  One of her most harmonically adventurous works, the Sonata duodecima is in seven parts, including two recitative like sections. Listen to More Music by Magnificat

In anticipation of the imminent launch of Magnificat's new (and vastly improved website), we have made all our commercial recordings available for download - just click here. In addition to our two CDs of music by Chiara Margarota Cozzolani, released on Musica Omnia, we also have the Carissimi EP Vanitas Vanitatem, that was available at our concerts during the 2004-2005 season and our 1996 recording of Cavalieri's Rappresentatione di Anima e di Corpo, which has long been out of print. We will have other live tracks available as streaming audio on the website, which is planned for launch on July 7.