The Sound of Ambition: Maddalena Casulana

By Michael Webster

She was the first, and then she vanished.

Maddalena Casulana (c. 1544-c. 1590) made history as the first woman to publish an entire book of secular music in the Western world. Yet, the material evidence of her life-a virtuoso singer and professional composer who navigated the complex courts of Venice and Florence-is scarce, leaving her largely forgotten.

This definitive biography is a historical investigation, meticulously reconstructing Casulana's life through her music, her powerful network of patrons, and the business of print. It analyzes her bold proto-feminist manifesto of 1568, where she used her published work to demand intellectual respect for women.

Maddalena Casulana: The Sound of Ambition elevates a groundbreaking figure from footnote to the forefront of Renaissance music, celebrating her artistry and the enduring impact of her fight for recognition.Approx.164 pages, 32000 word count

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0FYK5KFB7
• ISBN13: 9798232028886
• Release Date: October 2025
• Publisher: Michael Webster
• Length: 164 Pages
• Weight: 0.43 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.5" x 8.5"