Gender and genre in Cinquecento vocal music

Abstract

Throughout the Italian cinquecento , women's musical performance significantly impacted secular vocal music in the formation of new genres, the social function of music, and the development of musical style. The sixteenth century saw a continuous tradition of women's vocal performance from the musical practices of the early northern duchesses, especially their patronage of the frottola, through the performance of lute songs by courtesans and gentildonne in the intellectual ridotti and salons of the mid-sixteenth century, to the unprecedented fame and influence of the virtuosa soloists and concerti di donne of the late 1500s. This study examines these performing women, genres and contexts not as separate phenomena, but as an ongoing practice which, while it crossed class and socio-economic boundaries, was nevertheless linked by societal mores which applauded singing as a socially acceptable accomplishment for cultivated, upper class women while attaching connotations of immorality to women's public performance. The study is grounded in feminist and semiotic methodology which takes into account the sociological position of women's experience, and posits a performance-based understanding of music. Chapter one explores the socio-economic background of the Renaissance female singer, outlining women's changing status, the ideological division of private and public spheres, and the function of music among different classes; the next two chapters examine the nature of female patronage in the early cinquecento and the function of music in the formation of woman's identity as a maker and guardian of culture. Chapter four approaches the phenomenon of pleasure found in hearing women's voices, as well as the dual image of seductive siren and spiritual muse prevalent in contemporary reception literature, from a psychoanalytical/semiotic model derived from Julia Kristeva's unique semanalysis. Modern genre theory is utilized in the fifth chapter to propose a performance-based genre-system which advances the Italian lute song as a defining category, and allows women's contribution to music to emerge. The final chapters problematize the idea of the "professional" female singer, while acknowledging the tremendous impact of highly competent women vocalists on the changing nature of musical style and function.