Donna Deam soprano Faye Newton soprano Gill Ross soprano Alastair Ross organ/harpsichord/director

Concerto Delle Donne refers to the three celebrated singing ladies of the court of Duke Alfonso of Ferrara in the 1580s. The Duke was such an enthusiast of the female voice that he gathered together a concerto delle donne comprising the finest sopranos of the day, famed throughout Italy for the beauty of their voices and their ability to execute the most elaborate ornamentation. Music for three ladies flourished in mid-17th century Italy; our first CD Piangete on the Signum label, was a survey of Carissimi’s music, most of it unedited and forgotten until now. Music for three sopranos was also popular in 17th-century France; our second CD Music for the Virgin Mary, released in February 2006, is a programme of music written by Charpentier for convents in Paris, and recorded on the wonderful 1690 organ in Notre Dame, Rozay-en-Brie, east of Paris.

Sample Programme:

Handel and his Predecessors in Italy: Monteverdi, Rossi, Carissimi and Steffani and Handel’s wonderful Italian duets.
Music for the Virgin Mary: Music by Charpentier for convents in Paris.

Education:

Masterclasses, workshops

Recordings:

Piangete: Cantatas and Motets by Giacomo Carissimi (Signum)
Music for the Virgin Mary: Celebrating 300 years of Charpentier (Signum)

Performances:

5 May 07 Wycombe Arts Festival
6 May 07 Norden Farm Centre for the Arts,
Maidenhead
14 Jul 07 Gower Festival

Contact:

Alastair Ross, 4 Conegra Road,
High Wycombe HP13 6DY

Tel/Fax: 01494 524596

Email: cddmusic@onetel.com
Website: www.concertodelledonne.com