Anna Urpina: uncovering Baroque works by female composers

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Baroque and modern violinist Anna Urpina releases her new album Le Chant des Muses, which comprises repertoire of forgotten and never-before recorded works by female composers from the Baroque era, uncovered by Urpina herself. The album also includes two new works by contemporary female composers, Helena Cánovas and Zulema de la Cruz, forging a bridge between centuries.

Ten Baroque composers are represented on the album. Urpina hopes pays tribute to these courageous women who, despite the social and historical obstacles of their time, sought to express their ideas, ideals, and emotions through music - though much of their work was never heard, published, or acknowledged.

When asked to highlight one composer on the album, Urpina chooses Mademoiselle Duval (c.1718-c.1775), whom she describes as ’the most remarkable discovery.’

’[Duval was] a name that was completely unknown to me until now,’ says Urpina, who performs pieces from Duval’s Les Génies ou les Caractères de l’Amour in a world-premiere recording.

’She was the second woman, after Élisabeth Jacquet de la Guerre (1665-1729), to have an opera premiered at the Paris Opera. Her music is magnificent, elegant, and highly sophisticated, evoking the splendour of the refinement of Versailles.

’Although she enjoyed considerable fame during her lifetime, over the centuries her music and name have sadly faded into silence, a silence now gently broken, as her music reawakens and invites us to listen anew.’

Specialising in both Baroque and modern violin, Urpina performs the Baroque pieces on a 1658 violin by Nicolò Amati, while she performs the two contemporary pieces on a 2007 violin by David Bagué.

’I think the Amati violin was perfect to capture the sound and soul of the Baroque repertoire of the 17th century, while my David Bagué’s 2007 violin proved ideal for conveying the contemporary character and expressive depth of the modern works featured on this album,’ says Urpina.

Accompanying Urpina on her album are organist and harpsichordist Daniel Oyarzabal, soprano María Hinojosa, cellist Nicola Brovelli, and theorbo & baroque guitarist Nacho Laguna.

Le Chant des Muses is out on Eudora Records on 7 November 2025.