Maddalena Laura Lombardini Sirmen

One of very few female virtuoso violinists from before the modern era, Maddalena Laura Sirmen was also a composer, singer, and keyboardist. She was quite well-known and well-traveled in her own time. When Sirmen was 14, she impressed the greatest violin virtuoso of the day, Giuseppe Tartini, with her playing. She married violinist Ludovico Sirmen, and the couple tried to set themselves apart as a virtuoso duo. Manuscript of a set of string quartets published in Paris in 1769 shows Maddalena Sirmen's handwriting alone. Her other works include six trios for two violins and bass, six violin concertos, and six concertos that were later adapted for the harpsichord. Sirmen was almost completely forgotten, but an early champion was the Women's Philharmonic in San Francisco. In 2022, her Violin Sonata in G major, Op. 1, No. 5, appeared on an album of works by women performers issued by Infusion Baroque.