Sulpitia Cesis

Sulpitia Lodovica Cesis (15 May 1577 in Modena, Italy – ?), was an Italian composer as well as a well-regarded lutenist. Her father was Count Annibale Cesis and he gave 300 pieces of gold for her dowry when she entered the Augustinian convent in Modena in 1593. She was a nun at the convent of Saint Geminiano in Modena, although some sources report it as Saint Agostino. Her only known work is a volume of Motetti Spirituali, which she wrote in 1619.

Aspects of Motetti Spirituali

It is composed of 23 motets for 2–12 voices. Although most of the motets are written in Latin, four are written in Italian. Some scholars believe that the piece was composed earlier than 1619 because of its style. Unlike her contemporaries, her work contains indications for instruments such as cornetts, trombones, violones, and archviolones. Her 12-voice works are also especially different from the 2-3 voiced works popular in the 17th century

Example of Sulpitia Cesis's work "Mary Magdalena et altera Maria"

This song was not intended as a congregational hymn and is an excerpt from Matthew 28:1-7

Translation: Mary Magdalene and the other Mary/ went to the palace of the sepulcher.

It is Jesus whom you seek./ He is not here;/ he is risen as He said, and goes before you to Galilee./ There you will see Him.

For this text, "Cesis inserts melismatic phrases, underlining the name of Mary Magdalene and depicting the word surrexit (He is risen), in an otherwise dominantly homophonic texture and affectively uses harmonic suspension and dissonance to emphasize the miracle of Jesus' disappearance (Non est hic, "He is not there")".

Motet titles

Hodie gloriosus Cantate Domino Io so ferito si Jubilate Deo Il mio piu vago sole Pecco Signore Salve gemma confessorum O Crux splendidior Cantemus Domino Angelus ad pastores Benedictus Dominus Dulce nomen Jesu Christe Stabat Mater Hic est beatissimus Quest'è la bella [...] O Domine Jesu Christe Sub tuum praesidium Maria Magdalena Ecce ego Joannes Puer qui natus est Magi videntes stellam Ascendo ad Patrem Parvulus filius