Abstract
This document is a catalog of select sacred Renaissance repertoire from Italy and Spain for women’s choir. It provides an annotated repertoire list of works written by women, dedicated to specific women, and found in the archives of Spanish and Italian convents with a documented history of musical performance by women. This document surveys musicological research on the role of women in sacred music during the sixteenth century by scholars including Colleen Baade, Cynthia Cyrus, Robert Kendrick, Joan Whittemore, and Colleen Reardon. It gives information on the music education, training, liturgical practices, and specific repertoire sung by women in sacred settings in Italy and Spain, as well as in France, Germany, and England. Performance practice considerations for modern performance with women’s choir are discussed, particularly concerning women singers in contrast to all male choirs. Several performance editions of this repertoire are provided in the appendices.