Giovanni da Cascia
Encyclopedia
Giovanni da Cascia, also Jovannes de Cascia, Johannes de Florentia, Maestro Giovanni da Firenze, was an Italian composer of the medieval era
, active in the middle of the fourteenth century.
Virtually nothing is known about Giovanni's life. From his surname it is presumed that he was born in the village of Cascia
, near Florence
. It was once thought that he held a post at Florence Cathedral, but this is no longer accepted. A Florentine chronicle states that Giovanni and Jacopo da Bologna
competed at Mastino II of Scala's court; Mastino died in 1351. The metaphor
s used in his works are consistent with prevailing idioms of the mid-14th century. His portrait in the Squarcialupi Codex
shows him without priest
ly garments.
Nineteen of Giovanni's compositions survive, scattered in nine manuscripts. Sixteen of these are madrigal
s, and three of them are cacce. He is thought to have written some of his own texts. Musically, Giovanni's madrigals are of importance in the development of the style of the 14th-century madrigal. He tends to use extended melisma
s on the first and penultimate syllables of a poetic line, and sometimes introduces hocket
s at these points. The middles of the lines are generally syllabic. Many of his works are very similar in style to the anonymous works preserved in the Rossi Codex
.
Several of his works survive in quite different versions; this is evidence that improvisation
was still an important aspect of musical performance up to this time. Giovanni's works tend not to be tonally unified
; they begin and end on different notes, and in some cases, such as Nascoso el viso, each poetic line begins and ends on different notes. Occasional imitation
is found in his work.
Editions of all of Giovanni's works have been completed by W. Thomas Marrocco and Nino Pirrotta
in the twentieth century.
(all for two voices)
Cacce
(all for three voices)
Doubtful
Lost
Medieval music
Medieval music is Western music written during the Middle Ages. This era begins with the fall of the Roman Empire and ends sometime in the early fifteenth century...
, active in the middle of the fourteenth century.
Virtually nothing is known about Giovanni's life. From his surname it is presumed that he was born in the village of Cascia
Cascia
Cascia is a town and comune of the Italian province of Perugia in a rather remote area of the mountainous southeastern corner of Umbria. It is about 21 km from Norcia on the road to Rieti in the Lazio .-History:...
, near Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
. It was once thought that he held a post at Florence Cathedral, but this is no longer accepted. A Florentine chronicle states that Giovanni and Jacopo da Bologna
Jacopo da Bologna
Jacopo da Bologna was an Italian composer of the Trecento, the period sometimes known as the Italian ars nova. He was one of the first composers of this group, making him a contemporary of Gherardello da Firenze and Giovanni da Firenze...
competed at Mastino II of Scala's court; Mastino died in 1351. The metaphor
Metaphor
A metaphor is a literary figure of speech that uses an image, story or tangible thing to represent a less tangible thing or some intangible quality or idea; e.g., "Her eyes were glistening jewels." Metaphor may also be used for any rhetorical figures of speech that achieve their effects via...
s used in his works are consistent with prevailing idioms of the mid-14th century. His portrait in the Squarcialupi Codex
Squarcialupi Codex
The Squarcialupi Codex is an illuminated manuscript compiled in Florence, Italy in the early 15th century...
shows him without priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
ly garments.
Nineteen of Giovanni's compositions survive, scattered in nine manuscripts. Sixteen of these are madrigal
Madrigal (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....
s, and three of them are cacce. He is thought to have written some of his own texts. Musically, Giovanni's madrigals are of importance in the development of the style of the 14th-century madrigal. He tends to use extended melisma
Melisma
Melisma, in music, is the singing of a single syllable of text while moving between several different notes in succession. Music sung in this style is referred to as melismatic, as opposed to syllabic, where each syllable of text is matched to a single note.-History:Music of ancient cultures used...
s on the first and penultimate syllables of a poetic line, and sometimes introduces hocket
Hocket
In music, hocket is the rhythmic linear technique using the alternation of notes, pitches, or chords. In medieval practice of hocket, a single melody is shared between two voices such that alternately one voice sounds while the other rests.In European music, hocket was used primarily in vocal...
s at these points. The middles of the lines are generally syllabic. Many of his works are very similar in style to the anonymous works preserved in the Rossi Codex
Rossi Codex
The Rossi Codex is a music manuscript collection of the 14th century. The manuscript is presently divided into two sections, one in the Vatican Library and another, smaller section in the Northern Italian town of Ostiglia. The codex contains 37 secular works including madrigals, cacce and,...
.
Several of his works survive in quite different versions; this is evidence that improvisation
Improvisation
Improvisation is the practice of acting, singing, talking and reacting, of making and creating, in the moment and in response to the stimulus of one's immediate environment and inner feelings. This can result in the invention of new thought patterns, new practices, new structures or symbols, and/or...
was still an important aspect of musical performance up to this time. Giovanni's works tend not to be tonally unified
Tonality
Tonality is a system of music in which specific hierarchical pitch relationships are based on a key "center", or tonic. The term tonalité originated with Alexandre-Étienne Choron and was borrowed by François-Joseph Fétis in 1840...
; they begin and end on different notes, and in some cases, such as Nascoso el viso, each poetic line begins and ends on different notes. Occasional imitation
Imitation (music)
In music, imitation is when a melody in a polyphonic texture is repeated shortly after its first appearance in a different voice, usually at a different pitch. The melody may vary through transposition, inversion, or otherwise, but retain its original character...
is found in his work.
Editions of all of Giovanni's works have been completed by W. Thomas Marrocco and Nino Pirrotta
Nino Pirrotta
Nino Pirrotta was an Italian musicologist of international renown who specialized in Italian music from the late medieval, Renaissance and early Baroque eras. In 1931 he earned a degree in art history from the University of Florence after having already earned a diploma in organ performance...
in the twentieth century.
Works
Madrigals(all for two voices)
- Agnel son bianco
- Appress’un fiume chiaro
- Deh, come dolcemente
- Donna già fu’
- Fra mille corvi
- In su la ripa
- La bella stella
- Nascoso el viso
- Nel meço a sei paon
- O perlaro gentil
- O tu, cara sciença
- Per ridda andando ratto
- Più non mi curo
- Quando la stella
- Sedendo all’ombra
- Togliendo l’una a l’altra
Cacce
(all for three voices)
- Con brachi assai
- Nel bosco sença foglie
- Per larghi prati
Doubtful
- De soto ’l verde (2 voices)
Lost
- Soni multi et ballate (1 voice)