Francesco Rovigo
Encyclopedia
Francesco Rovigo was an Italian
composer and organist
of the late Renaissance
, active in Mantua
and Graz
.
, already 29 or 30 years old, to receive a musical education with the renowned organist and composer Claudio Merulo
of the Venetian School. By 1573 he was in Mantua, where he composed hymns which were used in the church of Santa Barbara, which was the ducal chapel of the Gonzaga
family. He served that aristocratic family until 1582, when he went to Graz to work for Archduke Charles II of Austria both as court organist and music tutor to the Archduke's children. When the Archduke died in 1590 he returned to Mantua and resumed his former service of the Gonzaga family, specifically as organist at the chapel. While in Mantua, and under the patronage of the artistically-inclined Gonzaga family, he was part of an illustrious group of composers that included some of the most famous in Italy, such as Alessandro Striggio
, Giaches de Wert
, Benedetto Pallavicino
, Francesco Soriano
, Giovanni Giacomo Gastoldi
, and of course Claudio Monteverdi
.
Monteverdi mentioned Rovigo him favorably in his letters, with none of the animosity reserved for Benedetto Pallavicino
, another composer at the Mantuan court. Rovigo died at Mantua at the age of 56; he is buried in the crypt of the cathedral of Santa Barbara, near to the tomb of Giaches de Wert
, who died the previous year.
and some instrumental music. Much of his music, including some canzonette
both for voices and instruments, and his early hymns, has been lost. His sacred music was mostly intended for liturgical use, and includes settings of the mass
, for up to 12 voices, in the Venetian style; litanies, three settings of the Magnificat
, for six voices; a setting of the St. Luke Passion; and other works. He published one book of madrigals for five voices in Venice in 1581, and many of them were sufficiently popular to be reprinted in some well-known anthologies. His instrumental pieces included canzona
s, and many were published in Milan.
Rovigo, along with Giaches de Wert
, was one of the composers assigned the task of composing music for a performance of Guarini's
Il pastor fido
in 1591 or 1592. One of the singers of the court at Mantua, Evangelista Campagnolo, was to play the part of Silvio. The work was never performed: in 1596, the Gonzagas issued a separate commission for composition of the work, to Giovanni Giacomo Gastoldi
, and some of his choruses have survived in his madrigal books. It is not known if any of Rovigo's music for the earlier dramatic musical production has survived, or indeed if he ever wrote any. This production was not an opera, though it would have had some characteristics in common with one; the earliest opera, Dafne
, was still several years away.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
composer and organist
Organ (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
of the late Renaissance
Renaissance music
Renaissance music is European music written during the Renaissance. Defining the beginning of the musical era is difficult, given that its defining characteristics were adopted only gradually; musicologists have placed its beginnings from as early as 1300 to as late as the 1470s.Literally meaning...
, active in Mantua
Mantua
Mantua is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy and capital of the province of the same name. Mantua's historic power and influence under the Gonzaga family, made it one of the main artistic, cultural and notably musical hubs of Northern Italy and the country as a whole...
and Graz
Graz
The more recent population figures do not give the whole picture as only people with principal residence status are counted and people with secondary residence status are not. Most of the people with secondary residence status in Graz are students...
.
Life
Nothing is known of his life prior to 1570, when he went to VeniceVenice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, already 29 or 30 years old, to receive a musical education with the renowned organist and composer Claudio Merulo
Claudio Merulo
Claudio Merulo was an Italian composer, publisher and organist of the late Renaissance period, most famous for his innovative keyboard music and his ensemble music composed in the Venetian polychoral style. He was born in Correggio and died in Parma...
of the Venetian School. By 1573 he was in Mantua, where he composed hymns which were used in the church of Santa Barbara, which was the ducal chapel of the Gonzaga
House of Gonzaga
The Gonzaga family ruled Mantua in Northern Italy from 1328 to 1708.-History:In 1433, Gianfrancesco I assumed the title of Marquis of Mantua, and in 1530 Federico II received the title of Duke of Mantua. In 1531, the family acquired the Duchy of Monferrato through marriage...
family. He served that aristocratic family until 1582, when he went to Graz to work for Archduke Charles II of Austria both as court organist and music tutor to the Archduke's children. When the Archduke died in 1590 he returned to Mantua and resumed his former service of the Gonzaga family, specifically as organist at the chapel. While in Mantua, and under the patronage of the artistically-inclined Gonzaga family, he was part of an illustrious group of composers that included some of the most famous in Italy, such as Alessandro Striggio
Alessandro Striggio
Alessandro Striggio was an Italian composer, instrumentalist and diplomat of the Renaissance. He composed numerous madrigals as well as dramatic music, and by combining the two, became the inventor of madrigal comedy...
, Giaches de Wert
Giaches de Wert
Giaches de Wert was a Franco-Flemish composer of the late Renaissance, active in Italy. Intimately connected with the progressive musical center of Ferrara, he was one of the leaders in developing the style of the late Renaissance madrigal...
, Benedetto Pallavicino
Benedetto Pallavicino
Benedetto Pallavicino was an Italian composer and organist of the late Renaissance. A prolific composer of madrigals, he was resident at the Gonzaga court of Mantua in the 1590s, where he was a close associate of Giaches de Wert, and a competitor of his considerably more famous contemporary...
, Francesco Soriano
Francesco Soriano
Francesco Soriano was an Italian composer of the Renaissance. He was one of the most skilled members of the Roman School in the first generation after Palestrina....
, Giovanni Giacomo Gastoldi
Giovanni Giacomo Gastoldi
Giovanni Giacomo Gastoldi , was an Italian composer of the late Renaissance and early Baroque periods. He is known for his 1591 publication of balletti for five voices.-Career:Gastoldi was born at Caravaggio, Lombardy...
, and of course Claudio Monteverdi
Claudio Monteverdi
Claudio Giovanni Antonio Monteverdi – 29 November 1643) was an Italian composer, gambist, and singer.Monteverdi's work, often regarded as revolutionary, marked the transition from the Renaissance style of music to that of the Baroque period. He developed two individual styles of composition – the...
.
Monteverdi mentioned Rovigo him favorably in his letters, with none of the animosity reserved for Benedetto Pallavicino
Benedetto Pallavicino
Benedetto Pallavicino was an Italian composer and organist of the late Renaissance. A prolific composer of madrigals, he was resident at the Gonzaga court of Mantua in the 1590s, where he was a close associate of Giaches de Wert, and a competitor of his considerably more famous contemporary...
, another composer at the Mantuan court. Rovigo died at Mantua at the age of 56; he is buried in the crypt of the cathedral of Santa Barbara, near to the tomb of Giaches de Wert
Giaches de Wert
Giaches de Wert was a Franco-Flemish composer of the late Renaissance, active in Italy. Intimately connected with the progressive musical center of Ferrara, he was one of the leaders in developing the style of the late Renaissance madrigal...
, who died the previous year.
Music
Rovigo wrote a large quantity of sacred music, as well as madrigalsMadrigal (music)
A madrigal is a secular vocal music composition, usually a partsong, of the Renaissance and early Baroque eras. Traditionally, polyphonic madrigals are unaccompanied; the number of voices varies from two to eight, and most frequently from three to six....
and some instrumental music. Much of his music, including some canzonette
Canzonetta
In music, a canzonetta was a popular Italian secular vocal composition which originated around 1560...
both for voices and instruments, and his early hymns, has been lost. His sacred music was mostly intended for liturgical use, and includes settings of the mass
Mass (music)
The Mass, a form of sacred musical composition, is a choral composition that sets the invariable portions of the Eucharistic liturgy to music...
, for up to 12 voices, in the Venetian style; litanies, three settings of the Magnificat
Magnificat
The Magnificat — also known as the Song of Mary or the Canticle of Mary — is a canticle frequently sung liturgically in Christian church services. It is one of the eight most ancient Christian hymns and perhaps the earliest Marian hymn...
, for six voices; a setting of the St. Luke Passion; and other works. He published one book of madrigals for five voices in Venice in 1581, and many of them were sufficiently popular to be reprinted in some well-known anthologies. His instrumental pieces included canzona
Canzona
In the 16th century an instrumental chanson; later, a piece for ensemble in several sections or tempos...
s, and many were published in Milan.
Rovigo, along with Giaches de Wert
Giaches de Wert
Giaches de Wert was a Franco-Flemish composer of the late Renaissance, active in Italy. Intimately connected with the progressive musical center of Ferrara, he was one of the leaders in developing the style of the late Renaissance madrigal...
, was one of the composers assigned the task of composing music for a performance of Guarini's
Giovanni Battista Guarini
Giovanni Battista Guarini was an Italian poet, dramatist, and diplomat.- Life :He was born in Ferrara, and spent his early life both in Padua and Ferrara, entering the service of Alfonso II d'Este, Duke of Ferrara, in 1567...
Il pastor fido
Il pastor fido
Il pastor fido is an opera in three acts by George Frideric Handel. It was set to a libretto by Giacomo Rossi based on the famed and widely familiar pastoral poem of the same name by Giovanni Battista Guarini.-Performance history:...
in 1591 or 1592. One of the singers of the court at Mantua, Evangelista Campagnolo, was to play the part of Silvio. The work was never performed: in 1596, the Gonzagas issued a separate commission for composition of the work, to Giovanni Giacomo Gastoldi
Giovanni Giacomo Gastoldi
Giovanni Giacomo Gastoldi , was an Italian composer of the late Renaissance and early Baroque periods. He is known for his 1591 publication of balletti for five voices.-Career:Gastoldi was born at Caravaggio, Lombardy...
, and some of his choruses have survived in his madrigal books. It is not known if any of Rovigo's music for the earlier dramatic musical production has survived, or indeed if he ever wrote any. This production was not an opera, though it would have had some characteristics in common with one; the earliest opera, Dafne
Dafne
Dafne is the earliest known work that, by modern standards, could be considered an opera. It was composed by Jacopo Peri in 1597, with a libretto by Ottavio Rinuccini.-History:...
, was still several years away.