Isabella Leonarda was born on September 6, 1620, and died on February 25, 1704. She was an Italian composer from Novara. When she was 16 years old, she joined the Collegio di Sant'Orsola, an Ursuline convent, and remained there for the rest of her life. Leonarda is best known for the many compositions she created during her time at the convent, which made her one of the most productive female composers of her era.

Biography

Isabella Leonarda was born on September 6, 1620, to Giannantonio Leonardi and Apollonia. The Leonardi family was an important and well-known family from Novara, with members who held positions in the church, government, and as knights. Isabella’s father, who was called a count, was a doctor of laws.

In 1636, Leonarda joined the Collegio di Sant'Orsola, an Ursuline convent in Novara. Her family had close relationships with the convent as supporters, and some people believe this may have helped Leonarda gain influence there. During her time at Sant'Orsola, she held several leadership roles, including madre (1676), superiora (1686), madre vicaria (1693), and consigliera (1700). The exact meaning of these titles is not fully understood, but superiora was likely the highest position in the convent.

Leonarda was a well-respected composer in her hometown of Novara, but her music was not widely known elsewhere in Italy. A writer named Lazzaro Agostino Cotta called her "la Musa novarese" (the muse of Novara) when he published a poem praising her musical talent, comparing it to the military strength of Emperor Leopold I. Her published works cover a period of 60 years, starting with the dialogues of 1640 and ending with the Motetti a voce sola of 1700. She is believed to have created nearly 200 compositions during this time. However, only the dialogues published by Gasparo Casati appeared before 1670. It seems she began composing regularly after the age of 50, and it was around that time she started publishing the works for which she is best known today.

Working in music

Leonarda was not well known for singing or playing instruments, and little is known about her involvement in those activities. However, this did not reduce her fame, as she was one of the most productive composers in a convent during the Baroque era. She wrote about 200 compositions during her lifetime.

Little is known about Leonarda’s musical training before joining the convent of Sant’Orsola. Some people think she may have received some education because her family had high social and economic status. It is also believed that after joining the convent, she studied with Gasparo Casati, a composer who worked at the Novara Cathedral. The only direct evidence of their connection is Casati’s book, Terzo libro di sacri concenti, which includes two dramatic dialogues—Leonarda’s earliest known compositions.

A convent document from 1658 listed Leonarda as magistra musicae, meaning she was a music teacher. This suggests she taught other nuns how to play music. The nuns in the convent may have performed Leonarda’s compositions.

Leonarda wrote music in nearly every sacred genre, including motets and sacred concertos for one to four voices, sacred Latin dialogues, psalm settings, responsories, Magnificats, litanies, masses, and sonate da chiesa. She also wrote music for solo and continuo, chorus, and strings. She composed a few sacred solo songs with vernacular texts. Her sonata da chiesa, Op. 16, was the first published instrumental sonata by a woman.

Although Leonarda’s most famous works were solo motets, many of her important achievements came from her sonatas. She was the first woman to publish sonatas and composed many throughout her life. For example, Sonatas 1 through 11 were written for two violins, violone, and organ. Sonatas 1, 3, 4, 7, and 8 are "concerted sonatas," meaning each of the three instruments has at least one solo section. Sonata 12 is Leonarda’s only solo sonata and one of her most famous compositions. It is divided into seven sections, with two slow movements that are recitative-like, allowing for improvised embellishments.

In the early 17th century, Italian music had two styles: prima pratica and seconda pratica. Generally, women did not receive formal training in prima pratica. However, Leonarda studied formal counterpoint and used it in many of her pieces. Her use of complex harmonies shows her influence in developing polyphonic music at Sant’Orsola, similar to what other Italian nun composers did in their convents. This style encouraged creativity and allowed for slight improvisation or musical decoration.

Leonarda’s sonatas are unusual in their structure. Most sonatas followed a standard four-movement form (slow–fast–slow–fast), established by Arcangelo Corelli. However, Leonarda’s sonatas vary from as few as four movements (Sonatas 6 and 9) to as many as thirteen movements (Sonata 4). Her four-movement sonatas do not follow the standard pattern. She also used refrains in unusual ways. For example, Sonata 5 has a regular structure, while Sonata 10 uses two refrains in the pattern A–B–C–D–E–B–D–F–B–G. Sonata 4 has an unusual plan: A–B–C–D–E–F–G–H–I–J–I’–J’–I’’. The sections in her sonatas fall into three types: (1) fast sections in duple meter, often with imitation, inspired by the canzona tradition; (2) slow, expressive sections in duple meter, similar to the toccata or recitative; and (3) homophonic sections in triple time, related to dance music.

Almost all of Leonarda’s works include two dedications: one to the Virgin Mary and one to a high-ranking living person. In one dedication, she wrote that she composed music not for fame but to show her devotion to the Virgin Mary. The living dedicatees included the archbishop of Milan, the bishop of Novara, and Emperor Leopold I. These dedications may have been motivated by the need to gain financial support for the convent. She also noted in the dedication to Opus 10 that she wrote music only during the time set aside for rest, so she would not neglect her administrative duties. This contradicts the idea that her position of authority allowed her more time to compose than other nuns.

Sacred Compositions
– 16 Motets, Op. 3
– Messa concertata, Op. 4
– 12 Motets, Op. 6
– 12 Motets, Op. 7
– 12 Motets, Op. 11
– 12 Motets, Op. 13
– 10 Motets, Op. 14
– 11 Motets, Op. 15
– Cara plage, cari adores, Op. 17, no. 9
– Beatus vir, Op. 19, no. 4
– Ah Domine Iesu (Trio)
– Alma Redemptoris Mater (SATB)
– Ave Regina Caelorum, Op. 10 (SATB)

Instrumental Compositions
– Sonatas, Op. 16
– Motet for solo voice, with instruments, Op. 20