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Recorded at Kings Place, London, on 17th April

That Most Graceful Melody: music for three queens.

Stile Antico perform Margaret of Austria, Mary I and Elizabeth I, bringing to life women from the Renaissance through song.

Music for Margaret of Austria

Raffaella Alleotti: ‘Exaudi Deus orationem meam’
Pierre de la Rue: 'Absalon fili mi'
Anon. (possibly by Margaret of Austria) 'Se je souspire'/'Ecce iterum'
Alexander Agricola: 'Dulces exuviae'
Maddalena Casulana: ‘O notte, o ciel, o mar’
Sulpitia Cesis: ‘Ascendo ad patrem’

Music for Queen Mary 1

Thomas Tallis: ‘Loquebantur variis linguis’
John Sheppard: 'Gaude, gaude, gaude Maria’
Leonora d’Este: ‘Veni sponsa Christi'; 'Ego sum panis’
Maddalena Casulana: ‘Vagh’ amorosi augelli’

Music for Queen Elizabeth 1

William Byrd: ‘O Lord, make thy servant Elizabeth’
John Taverner: ‘Christe Jesu, pastor bone’
John Bennet: ‘All creatures now are merry minded’
Richard Carlton: 'Calm was the air'
Sulpitia Cesis: ‘Cantemus Domino’
Raffaella Alleotti: ‘Angelus ad pastores ait’

Joanna Marsh: Dialogo and Quodlibet

From the powerful Medici women in Italy to the great Tudor queens of England, women across Europe held more power in the 16th century than ever before. Many of these monarchs used their patronage to facilitate the production of music of exquisite beauty by the finest composers of the day, extravagant showcases of their power contrasting with intimate and personal compositions. The century also saw the first publications of music by female composers, often Italian nuns, whose convents supported musical groups of astonishing ability.

Stile Antico shines a light on an often-neglected repertoire, focusing on the music written for three queens, Margaret of Austria, Mary I and Elizabeth I, bringing to life women from the Renaissance through song.