Paola Massarenghi

Paola Massarenghi (born August 5, 1565) was an Italian composer. Only one of her works survives, Quando spiega l'insegn'al sommo padre, a spiritual madrigal.^[1] It was printed in Arcangelo Gherardini's Primo libro de madrigali a cinque voci. The publication, from Ferrara in 1585,^[2] is dedicated to Alfonso Fontanelli, and while other contributors are listed in the dedication, Massarenghi was left out.^[3] Massarenghi probably came from a wealthy family, since they were able to get Duke Ranuccio I Farnese to help get a musical education for Massarenghi's younger brother, Giovanni Battista Massarenghi, also a composer.^[4]

References

• Thomas W. Bridges. "Paola Massarenghi", Grove Music Online, ed. L. Macy (accessed October 22, 2006), grovemusic.com (subscription access).
• Thomas W. Bridges, "Paola Massarenghi" The Norton/Grove Dictionary of Women Composers. Edited by Julie Anne Sadie and Rhian Samuel. W.W. Norton and Company, New York, 1995. ISBN 0-393-03487-9
• Iain Fenlon. "Arcangelo Gherardini", Grove Music Online, ed. L. Macy (accessed October 22, 2006), grovemusic.com (subscription access).