A prolific, yet relatively unknown composer of the eighteenth century, Marianna von Martines lived a fruitful life as a musician in Vienna. She composed over 200 works for instrumental, vocal, and choral ensembles in both sacred and secular genres. In spite of her relationships with some of history's most cherished poets and composers (Pietro Metastasio, Franz Joseph Haydn, Nicola Porpora, Padre Martini, and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) her music has been neglected and has only in recent decades garnered the interest of scholars and musicians.
Martines composed the psalm setting of Dixit Dominus for mixed chorus, soloists, and orchestra in 1774 following her acceptance into the Academia Filharmonica in Bologna, Italy. It is worth noting that Martines was the only woman in the history of the organization to be accepted. "Virgam virtutis tuae" is the second of seven movements, originally scored for two flutes, strings, continuo, and solo treble voices.
