The Two Marys

In this program Trio Aido brings to life Marian masterpieces composed by and for lutenists of the time. The Virgin Mary, revered historically as the Mother of God and the Star of the Ocean, was not only the object of worship and admiration, but also a central figure in secular art and music. 

Of the several Mary’s that appear in the Bible, the understanding and importance of Mary Magdalene has played a pivotal role both within religious doctrine and artistic inspiration throughout history. She became the most prodigiously represented woman within the arts, aside from the Virgin Mary, both as a divine allegory, as the penitent Saint who rejected a lifestyle full of worldly pleasures, and as a muse in more Humanist portrayals, as a lover of music and earthly delights before her conversion. Lute, which often symbolized sensuality and hedonic joy, as well as harmony and femininity, was often used to evoke the duality and transformation of the Saint, enhancing the story and rhetoric of the music. Much like Marian paintings of the era,, each piece in the program brings clear images and stories in the minds of the listener; Mary after the annunciation, after birth holding baby Jesus in joy, or in another piece, in horror, Mary Magdalene in her conversion and repentance, at the crucifixion of Jesus.