The Queen of Etruria as Symphonist: Between Patriotism and Imitation

Abstract

Among recently rediscovered female composers, the case of Maria Luisa of Bourbon (1782-1824), Infanta of Spain, Queen of Etruria, and Duch- ess of Lucca, is exceptional, both for her noble birth and for the political aspects of her life. Widowed at an early age, she governed Tuscany as regent, but was deprived of her kingdom and imprisoned, as described bitterly in her memoirs, published in four languages just before the Congress of Vienna. Recent studies have shown that she cultivated a true passion for music as a patroness, collector, and amateur performer. Her music library, containing over 2000 volumes with a very modern and varied international repertoire, and bearing signs of use, is particularly outstanding. Moreover, she is the earliest known female Spanish composer of orchestral music, and one of the earliest in Italy, something that has been overlooked so far. This essay focuses on her four 'sinfonias', which date from c.1810-24, considering their compositional and performance contexts, sty- listic traits, and probable models. Notably, they are among the earliest works by Spanish composers to adopt the structure of Rossini's overtures. The Infanta innovatively combines this model with musical topoi, both international, such as the march, and typically associated with the Spanish cultural identity, such as the fandango. Overall, her sinfonias constitute unique works that shed new light on hitherto ignored aspects of Rossini's reception, early-nineteenth century female composition, and the shared musical history of Spain and Italy.