MUHI 203 – Written Assignment

Final Version, due 12 February 2019, 5:59 am

Kathryn Orth

200402059

15 January 2019

Dr. Barbara Reul

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 In the book chapter, Convent Music: An Examination, Kimberlyn Montford discusses research of

music in convents, specifically in the roles of women in church positions, society, and culture in early

modern Europe.

In the first section, Montford examines the musical life in early modern Europe. She states that

research was specific to the study of music, in forms of manuscript as well as publications, but this

approach was not lucrative in the musical abilities of nuns in female monasteries. Very few of nuns

published music that were known pieces of their convents. Therefore, this subject is difficult to research.

As well, music history outlines the musical styles as they change, only bringing to light the most

innovated and creative composers. According to, Jane Bowers and Judith Tick, the music published

within monasteries did not lead to new stylistic changes within the world of music hence the lack of

knowledge of this music.

Montford discusses many salient essays and research about music in convents, as well as adding

her own opinions throughout the chapter. Montford examines Anne Bagnall Yardley’s ‘“Ful Weel She

Soong the Service Dyvyne”: The Cloistered Musician in the Middles Ages’, she states that the main point

to this essay was the differences between worship traditions in both male and female monasteries. This

stated the contrasts between imagery and the dramatic character of the nun’s traditional worship service.

Hildegard of Bingen, a German abbess, was one of the few composers in convents in early modern Rome.

The composer’s use of imagery and musical idiom was very distinct from other composers. Her creative

output was reflected in many female monasteries during her time.

The musical activities of nuns became a problem for the church. Therefore, musical reforms were

put in place to control the extent to which these activities were performed. Some of the nuns were

restricted to only singing in the choirs while others were restricted from polyphony and playing

instruments. However, the prohibitions only increased the pleasure of hearing music and raised the

characteristics of their performances. During this prohibition, Montford explains that there was also an

increase in interest to be a religious woman. Music lessons and performances in church were allowed but

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it created tension between cloister and the different levels of education that were deemed necessary for

the nuns within the church as they were intimately subjected to focus on their religion. Montford

concludes this section by discussing Janet Hathaway and her essay. Hathaway stated that musical

expression is identified with pain and suffering and the thought towards it. This leads to the interpretation

of those qualities of female religiosity to music, voice, spirituality and miracles in the women.

In the second section, Montford goes more in-depth into the nuns’ performances and music

making. She discusses an essay from Jane Bowers, stating the best contribution to this music was the

ways in which nuns and women could control their music: studies that show compositions by and for

nuns do not just show music, but shows how the cultural trends influenced them. Montford brings to light

several of the more well-known composers who wrote music for the church. Significantly, Caterina de’

Ricci, a nun of San Vincenzo di Prato, published two collections of lauds, one of which was intended to

make religious music available to other nuns. Lucrezia Orsina Vizzana, a Bolognese composer, was

placed into a convent at a young age. Vizzana studied organ and composition from a male musician,

Ottavio Vernizzi. With contact with her teacher, there was enough connection with the outside world to

keep up with the current musical styles. Performance practices in convents were often taught by nun

teachers and male tutors concluding that composers within the convents all had a comparable background.

Girls were put into convents for money, but nuns could also be accepted with reduced or waived dowries

if they could provide music for the church and were able to move into higher ranked positions within the

church.

In the conclusion, Montford states the reasons as to why these women were active in music in the

early modern period. Although women in the middle ages were not known to or even allowed to partake

in the church or music, the nuns who composed for the church were contributing members to the overall

history of music as they used and shape music for society in ways many people would not consider.

Montford concludes the chapter by stating that there should be more convent music research carried out in

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England and Germany because the innovations of music in convents would contribute to a better

understanding of music history as nuns are not often thought of as innovative composers. [778]