Francesca Caccini
Tuesday, March 9th, 2010International Women’s Day yesterday. Why not prolong the event with the discovery of a female composer from the Baroque era, Francesca Caccini? She is featured on Shannon Mercer’s new
album, Viva Rosa, to be released today.
Born in Florence in 1587 and often nicknamed “La Cecchina” (the singing bird), Francesca Caccini is the daugther of Giulio Caccini, a prolific and respected composer who wrote several books of madrigals including La Nuove Musiche and numerous reference books. Along with her brother Pompeo and sister Settimia, she was a member of the Concerto Caccini, an ensemble whose notable performances included singing at the marriage of Henri IV of France and Maria de Medici in 1600. Four years later, when the king heard her in Paris, he was profoundly moved. “You are the best singer in France,” he unequivocally stated and immediately offered her a position at court, but the Florentine officials refused to release her from her engagement. In 1607, Francesca gets a position with the Medici as a teacher, singer, vocal coach and composer of lyric and chamber music.
The testimonies from that period are unanimous: Francesca Caccini was a remarkable musician, known as a singer but also as a polyvalent instrumentalist who mastered the luth, the guitar and the harpsichord. Having received a humanist education from the very start, she was also a respected poet and most probably wrote most of the texts of the collection presented here, excepted Difpiegate (a text by Ceba).

