You can hear more Hymns composed by Kassia from Cappella Romana from their 2021 album “Hymns of Kassianí” for free here (https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nzaT8zCtnpnrfjsPXBsL_FG2tw6F9VQ9M&si=jlivVAxzvaSdkMmJ)
“Gli Ochi Lucent'e Belli” (https://youtu.be/gq20oFkxwn8?si=cU0w6_bMXc6Jr9rq) by Maddalena Casulana is notable for its use of polyphony (the use of 2 or more melodic lines), which was not widely used in compositions at this time.
Enhéduanna was a Sumerian Princess, Priestess, Hymnographer, Poet and Composer who is considered to be the earliest known named author in world history. A Trobairitz by trade, she was essentially one of several female noblewomen who were traveling troubadours. In Enhéduanna’s case she mostly traveled around Mesopotamia (fuzzily the area around modern day Iraq) “The Exhaltation of Inanna” (https://youtu.be/PSoLHfnr5Gc?si=c_fFINAIpH7lS1Gw) is one of her few surviving pieces
Our final female composer is Sulpitia Cesis, a Late Renaissance era Italian Composer, Singer, Lutenist and Roman Catholic Augustinian Nun. “O Crux Splendidior” (https://youtu.be/OUBD15C8ZUU?si=vU6_PvmMG8Dm5Dav) is a motet about the invocation of the cross
Dr. Dani Sanchez