Musica sacra: Silent revolution behind monastery walls

Works by Maria Xaveria Peruchona, Chiara Margarita Cozzolani, Vittoria Aleotti, Isabella Leonarda and Caterina Assandra

Despite church bans and conservative resistance, 17th century nuns refused to be silenced: With the support of noble families, they made music and composed at the highest level - often behind convent walls, but with an audible effect on the outside world. Sacred motets and secular madrigals merged into passionate music full of expression and emotion. Female composers such as Isabella Leonarda published works under their own name, taught music and shaped the cultural life of their time. Their convents became musical centers, their voices a magnet for audiences. It was a quiet but powerful revolution - a testimony to female creativity and resilience in a male-dominated world.