Caterina Assandra

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Caterina Assandra was an Italian composer and Benedictine nun born in the province of Pavia. She became famous as an organist and published several works during her lifetime, some of which reached outside the borders of Italy. 

Caterina Assandra (c.1590 - after 1618)
Image source

The local composer Agostino Agazzari influenced Assandra's style. Due to Assandra's residence in the convent, her vocal music was often written for female voices so that her music could function without male singers. 

Listen to Assandra's setting of Duo Seraphim:

Latin text:

Duo seraphim clamabant alter ad alterum:
Sanctus Dominus Deus Saboath.
Plena est omnis terra gloria ejus. (Isaiah 6:3)

Tres sunt, qui testimonium dant in coelo:
Pater, Verbum et Spiritus Sanctus:
et hi tres unum sunt.
Sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth.
Plena est omnis terra gloria ejus.

Translation:

Two seraphim cried to one another:
Holy is the Lord God of Sabaoth.
The whole earth is full of his glory.

There are three who bear witness in heaven:
the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit:
and these three are one.
Holy is the Lord God of Sabaoth.
The whole earth is full of his glory.

Here is the setting by Assandra is thought to have later inspired Claudio Monteverdi's setting of the same text:


Also by Assandra:

DHM YouTube

This blog is intended to be educational and to share knowledge about music. Daily Hit of Music does not claim to own anything contained in this post and declares its sources openly. 
The following sources were used for this blog post: Wikipedia, A Modern Reveal, CPDL.
Image sources can be found in the image captions. 
Recordings can be found on YouTube by clicking the 'DHM YouTube Playlist' links.


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