Towards a profile of female Italian musicians at the Habsburg courts, 1574–1637

Documents, interpretations, patterns

Abstract

By taking into account previously published and/or referenced documents in combination with new archival finds, this article reviews what we know of the female Italian musicians active at various Habsburg courts, principally the imperial court in Vienna and Prague, and the court of Archduke Ferdinand ii of Tyrol in Innsbruck. In line with broader trends, the period under consideration (1574–1637) marked a shift from a Franco-Flemish to a largely Italian musical orientation at the Habsburg courts. The female Italian musicians that worked at these courts (or were offered positions there) often shared characteristics that appear to have remained constant: they tended to be teenagers and multi-instrumentalists (or singers-instrumentalists). Recurring patterns around their employment include their legal dependence on their fathers or husbands and their role in exclusively female settings at court.

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