https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbara_Strozzi
Barbara Strozzi b.1619, born to an aristocratic family, was an Italian singer and composer. Her father, Guilio, was a librettist and poet and colleague of Monteverdi and Cavalli. He encouraged his daughter’s musical talent (arranged for her to study with composer Francesco Cavalli and creating an academy in which Barbara’s performances could be validated and displayed publicly.
Music
Strozzi was also a gifted and prolific composer of printed secular vocal music in Venice. Her output except for one volume of sacred songs, contains secular vocal music. She was also renowned for her poetic ability. Her compositions are firmly rooted in the seconda pratica tradition (See Monteverdi). Strozzi’s music evokes the spirit of Cavalli, heir of Monteverdi.
Listen to the beautiful florid singing – In Medio Maris. Note the accompaniment of the lutes. providing the accompaniment one might also associate expect with a keyboard instrument such as harpsichord..
In medio maris, by Barbara Strozzi
Luthien Brackett, alto
David Morris, viola da gamba & lirone
Deborah Fox and Daniel Swenberg, lutes
recorded live in concert September 25, 2016
Downtown Presbyterian Church, Rochester, NY
Italian text:
In medio maris contrarius erat ventus.
In imbre, in unda, in fluctibus levisNavicula levis, navicula iactabatur.
Iam quarta vigilia noctis errabant, dolentes, lugentes.
Ecce a longe, ecce ambulans super mare. Ecce venit ad eos.
Turbati sunt stupore, timore,clamabant pavidi, “fantasma est.”
Locutus est Iesus, “Ego sum.
Veni et tu, Petrus, super aquas?”
Discessit e navicula, ambulavit, tremuit, precatus est Petrus.
In vento valido, in unda liquida
cupes immergitur.
“Iam cado, iam pereo!Me saluum fac, Iesu.”
Apprehendit, repprehendit eum Dominus: “Modicae fidei, quare dubitasti?”
Clamabant undique gentes, “Fili Dei vere, tu.”
Alleluia!
English translation
In the midst of the sea there was a contrary wind.
In a storm, on a surge, on the waves,
a small boat was being tossed about.
Now in the fourth watch of the night, they were losing their way, grieving, complaining.
Behold from afar, behold a man walking on the sea. Behold, He came toward them.
Troubled with astonishment, with terror, they cried out in fright, “It is a ghost.”
Jesus spoke, “It is I.
Do you too, Peter, come upon the waters?”
Peter got out of the boat, and walked, and was fearful, and cried out in prayer.
In the powerful wind, he is plunged
beneath the watery billows.
“I’m sinking, I perish! Save me Jesus!”
The Lord takes him up and reproved him:
“Oh you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
Then all the people exclaimed, “You truly are the son of God.” Alleluia!