The Tudor Consort Photo: The Tudor Consort
Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) set the 'Gloria' from 'Mass Ordinary' three times. This one was written in 1715 and probably composed for the famous convent Ospedale della Pietà where Vivaldi worked. The convent also served as a music school and orphanage for girls in Venice.
Anna van der Leij, Anna Sedcole, Amanda Barclay (sopranos), Megan Hurnard, Eleanor McGechie (altos), The Tudor Consort, Chiesa Ensemble directed by Michael Stewart.
'Gloria' was conceived for female voices alone, which has raised questions about who sang the lower parts. Were men contracted to sing them and separated by screens from the female singers? Were the lower parts simply played by instruments or were there women who could actually sing these low parts?
In convent records, one of students was nick-named Anna dal Basso – whether this referred to her playing a bass instrument or singing bass no one knows for certain. Many of the women there assumed the nick-names of their instruments. The Pietà was home to some very talented women, and not all of them were teenagers. A number of residents lived there well into their 70s.
What we do know is that all the female performers of the Pietà were hidden behind a grille to preserve their modesty, which ironically only made them more mysterious and alluring to visitors.
Recorded 1 September 2018 at St Mary of the Angels, Wellington by RNZ Concert.
Producer & Engineer: Darryl Stack
