Bianca Maria Meda

Bianca Maria Meda (c. 1661 – c. 1732) was an Italian nun and Baroque composer. Life Little is known about Bianca Maria Meda’s life, but she was a Benedictine nun at the convent of San Martino del Leano in Pavia. Although her profession is unknown, she first appears in convent records between August 1677 and February 1678, likely at the age of 16. Meda’s death is also undocumented, however, due to the omission of her name in a convent record dated September 1733, it can be assumed that she died before that date around the age of 70. Based on this knowledge, Meda was about 30 years old when her motet collection was published. Meda was among the final nun composers in 17th-century Italy to publish their music, only being followed by Isabella Leonarda. Given the rarity of female composers being published at the time, Meda’s work is a valuable contribution to early modern Italian convent music through its artistic and expressive qualities. Meda’s motet collection includes 12 pieces. There are two for solo voice, two duets, four trios, and four quartets. Meda’s music is presented in six partbooks: Canto, alto, Tenore, Basso, and two books labeled ‘Violone’ and ‘Organo." While Meda’s mote