The Sound of Ambition: Maddalena Casulana

She was the first, and then she vanished. Maddalena Casulana (c. 1544-c. 1590) made history as the first woman to publish an entire book of secular music in the Western world. Yet, the material evidence of her life-a virtuoso singer and professional composer who navigated the complex courts of Venice and Florence-is scarce, leaving her largely forgotten. This definitive biography is a historical investigation, meticulously reconstructing Casulana's life through her music, her powerful network of patrons, and the business of print.
It analyzes her bold proto-feminist manifesto of 1568, where she used her published work to demand intellectual respect for women. Maddalena Casulana: The Sound of Ambition elevates a groundbreaking figure from footnote to the forefront of Renaissance music, celebrating her artistry and the enduring impact of her fight for recognition. Approx.160 pages, 32000 word count