Born to poor parents in Venice Maddalena Sirmen was accepted by the Ospedale di San Lazzaro dei Mendicanti to study music. She was just 7. Originally an orphanage by the mid 18th century it was actively recruiting musically talented young girls. It is not clear if Maddalena was an orphan or showing promise as a musician.
However entry into the Ospedale had echoes of the Hotel California. You could be accepted in, but leaving was somewhat more difficult.
A young woman had to marry and for that be provided with a dowry. In short they had effective control over their charges.
Maddelena was resourceful. She started a correspondence with the violin virtuoso Tartini while at the Ospedale. This in turn led to her having personal tuition in Padua with the permission of the Ospedale.
Eventually as her talent blossomed she persuaded the Ospedale to allow her marriage to the violinist Ludovico Sirmen in 1767 and with that she was free to leave.
Liberated, she took off with her husband on a tour of Europe performing and composing as she went. Dresden, France, the Low Countries, London and St Petersburg were all on the itinerary.
She enjoyed considerable success before the emerging works of Viotti and his style of playing became popular. Her style by contrast was increasingly regarded as old fashioned.
The piece below was the only violin concerto she is known to have composed.
Wonderful! It sounds as if it might be a difficult piece to play. Thank you for finding this little treasure.
Yet another example of wonderful music by a female unknown. It makes this platform unique. All thanks to our sainted kapellmeister. Thank you Andrew. Again.