Songs of Exstasy and Devotion: Lucrezia Vizzana

By George Bulanda on Wed, Feb 17, 1999 at 12:00 am

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The extraordinary success of recordings devoted to medieval nun Hildegard von Bingen naturally makes one wonder what other gifted women might have been composing behind the convents’ doors. Lucrezia Vizzana, an Italian nun, published a set of 20 motets called "Componimenti Musicali" in 1623, which have languished in obscurity. This CD reveals that Vizzana was a competent if unremarkable composer. She had an understanding of counterpoint, but no true genius. Musica Secreta performs with an admirable faithfulness to pitch, but the microphone placement is far too obtrusive.