Ippolito Chamaterò
Encyclopedia
Ippolito Chamaterò was an Italian composer of the late Renaissance
, originally from Rome but active in northern Italy. He wrote both sacred and secular music, particularly madrigals
; all of his surviving music is vocal. His sacred musical style was in conformance with the Counter-Reformation
musical ideals following the Council of Trent
, and his madrigals were related stylistically to those of Adrian Willaert
and Cipriano de Rore
.
. Details of his early life are lacking, including where he received his musical training. By 1560 he had come to northern Italy, where he held a succession of mostly short posts; there are gaps in the record for some portions of his career. In 1560 and 1561 he was in Padua
, since he signed some of his published books of madrigals there. On January 1, 1562, he became maestro di cappella, music director, of the prestigious Accademia Filarmonica of Verona
, succeeding Francesco Portinaro
, who had held the post the preceding year. Chamaterò held this post for exactly two years, leaving at the end of 1563. In 1565 he was in Vicenza
; 1566, Treviso
; and he held a longer post as maestro di cappella in Udine
from 1567 to 1570, and then again from 1574 to 1577, though his whereabouts between 1570 and 1574 are unknown. In 1578 he was again in Padua, and in 1581 and 1582 he was in Bergamo
; no records of his activity have turned up after 1592.
All of Chamaterò's works were published in Venice
, first by Antonio Gardano
of the Gardano publishing house, and later by Scotto. Many are dedicated to colleagues and patrons of Chamaterò from the Accademia in Verona.
, Giberto Sanvitale, and the next book, Il primo libro di madrigali for four voices, to Gian Giacomo Trivultio. The other four books he all published while he was maestro in Udine, and it is likely that they are collections of music he had written during the time since his first publications. They include three books of madrigals for five voices, and one for four.
Stylistically Chamaterò's secular music resembles that of Adrian Willaert
and Cipriano de Rore
, the most famous madrigalists of the preceding generation working in the same geographical area, both in texture and in choice of poets such as Petrarch
and his followers, such as Pietro Bembo
. His sacred music shows the influence of the Venetian School, unsurprising as both Willaert and Rore were maestro di cappella at St. Marks's, and all of the locations at which Chamaterò worked were within the zone of influence of Venetian style. Chamaterò's sacred music includes a book of masses for five and seven voices, introits, Magnificats, and psalms, including works for multiple choirs
of up to 12 voices. The music is post-Tridentine with emphasis on clarity of texture and text.
Chamaterò's music was held in high regard by his contemporaries, as can be seen both by the inclusion of his works in anthologies with more famous composers, and by the decision of other composers to dedicate some of their works to him.
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...
, originally from Rome but active in northern Italy. He wrote both sacred and secular music, particularly madrigals
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....
; all of his surviving music is vocal. His sacred musical style was in conformance with the Counter-Reformation
Counter-Reformation
The Counter-Reformation was the period of Catholic revival beginning with the Council of Trent and ending at the close of the Thirty Years' War, 1648 as a response to the Protestant Reformation.The Counter-Reformation was a comprehensive effort, composed of four major elements:#Ecclesiastical or...
musical ideals following the Council of Trent
Council of Trent
The Council of Trent was the 16th-century Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church. It is considered to be one of the Church's most important councils. It convened in Trent between December 13, 1545, and December 4, 1563 in twenty-five sessions for three periods...
, and his madrigals were related stylistically to those of Adrian Willaert
Adrian Willaert
Adrian Willaert was a Flemish composer of the Renaissance and founder of the Venetian School. He was one of the most representative members of the generation of northern composers who moved to Italy and transplanted the polyphonic Franco-Flemish style there....
and Cipriano de Rore
Cipriano de Rore
Cipriano de Rore was a Franco-Flemish composer of the Renaissance, active in Italy...
.
Life
Chamaterò was born in RomeRome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. Details of his early life are lacking, including where he received his musical training. By 1560 he had come to northern Italy, where he held a succession of mostly short posts; there are gaps in the record for some portions of his career. In 1560 and 1561 he was in Padua
Padua
Padua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 . The city is sometimes included, with Venice and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, having...
, since he signed some of his published books of madrigals there. On January 1, 1562, he became maestro di cappella, music director, of the prestigious Accademia Filarmonica of Verona
Verona
Verona ; German Bern, Dietrichsbern or Welschbern) is a city in the Veneto, northern Italy, with approx. 265,000 inhabitants and one of the seven chef-lieus of the region. It is the second largest city municipality in the region and the third of North-Eastern Italy. The metropolitan area of Verona...
, succeeding Francesco Portinaro
Francesco Portinaro
Francesco Portinaro was an Italian composer and humanist of the Renaissance, active both in northern Italy and in Rome. He was closely associated with the Ferrarese Este family, worked for several humanistic Renaissance academies, and was well-known as a composer of madrigals and...
, who had held the post the preceding year. Chamaterò held this post for exactly two years, leaving at the end of 1563. In 1565 he was in Vicenza
Vicenza
Vicenza , a city in north-eastern Italy, is the capital of the eponymous province in the Veneto region, at the northern base of the Monte Berico, straddling the Bacchiglione...
; 1566, Treviso
Treviso
Treviso is a city and comune in Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Treviso and the municipality has 82,854 inhabitants : some 3,000 live within the Venetian walls or in the historical and monumental center, some 80,000 live in the urban center proper, while the city...
; and he held a longer post as maestro di cappella in Udine
Udine
Udine is a city and comune in northeastern Italy, in the middle of Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, between the Adriatic sea and the Alps , less than 40 km from the Slovenian border. Its population was 99,439 in 2009, and that of its urban area was 175,000.- History :Udine is the historical...
from 1567 to 1570, and then again from 1574 to 1577, though his whereabouts between 1570 and 1574 are unknown. In 1578 he was again in Padua, and in 1581 and 1582 he was in Bergamo
Bergamo
Bergamo is a town and comune in Lombardy, Italy, about 40 km northeast of Milan. The comune is home to over 120,000 inhabitants. It is served by the Orio al Serio Airport, which also serves the Province of Bergamo, and to a lesser extent the metropolitan area of Milan...
; no records of his activity have turned up after 1592.
All of Chamaterò's works were published in Venice
Venice
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...
, first by Antonio Gardano
Antonio Gardano
Antonio Gardano was an Italian composer and important music publisher based in Venice. He arrived in in the city as a musico francese whose musical compositions had been published in Lyons by Moderne from 1532...
of the Gardano publishing house, and later by Scotto. Many are dedicated to colleagues and patrons of Chamaterò from the Accademia in Verona.
Music
Chamaterò published six books of madrigals. The first two, printed in 1560 and 1561, he published through Antonio Gardano in Venice. He dedicated his first book, Il primo libro di madrigali for five voices, to the Count of SaloSalo
Salo may refer to:*Salo, Finland, a town in Western Finland*Salò, a town in Lombardy, Italy**Salò Republic or Italian Social Republic, a puppet state of Nazi Germany*Salo Township, Aitkin County, Minnesota, a township in Minnesota, U.S....
, Giberto Sanvitale, and the next book, Il primo libro di madrigali for four voices, to Gian Giacomo Trivultio. The other four books he all published while he was maestro in Udine, and it is likely that they are collections of music he had written during the time since his first publications. They include three books of madrigals for five voices, and one for four.
Stylistically Chamaterò's secular music resembles that of Adrian Willaert
Adrian Willaert
Adrian Willaert was a Flemish composer of the Renaissance and founder of the Venetian School. He was one of the most representative members of the generation of northern composers who moved to Italy and transplanted the polyphonic Franco-Flemish style there....
and Cipriano de Rore
Cipriano de Rore
Cipriano de Rore was a Franco-Flemish composer of the Renaissance, active in Italy...
, the most famous madrigalists of the preceding generation working in the same geographical area, both in texture and in choice of poets such as Petrarch
Petrarch
Francesco Petrarca , known in English as Petrarch, was an Italian scholar, poet and one of the earliest humanists. Petrarch is often called the "Father of Humanism"...
and his followers, such as Pietro Bembo
Pietro Bembo
Pietro Bembo was an Italian scholar, poet, literary theorist, and cardinal. He was an influential figure in the development of the Italian language, specifically Tuscan, as a literary medium, and his writings assisted in the 16th-century revival of interest in the works of Petrarch...
. His sacred music shows the influence of the Venetian School, unsurprising as both Willaert and Rore were maestro di cappella at St. Marks's, and all of the locations at which Chamaterò worked were within the zone of influence of Venetian style. Chamaterò's sacred music includes a book of masses for five and seven voices, introits, Magnificats, and psalms, including works for multiple choirs
Venetian polychoral style
The Venetian polychoral style was a type of music of the late Renaissance and early Baroque eras which involved spatially separate choirs singing in alternation...
of up to 12 voices. The music is post-Tridentine with emphasis on clarity of texture and text.
Chamaterò's music was held in high regard by his contemporaries, as can be seen both by the inclusion of his works in anthologies with more famous composers, and by the decision of other composers to dedicate some of their works to him.
Further reading
- Alfred Einstein, The Italian Madrigal. Three volumes. Princeton, New Jersey, Princeton University Press, 1949. ISBN 0-691-09112-9
- Gustave ReeseGustave ReeseGustave Reese was an American musicologist and teacher. Reese is known mainly for his work on medieval and Renaissance music, particularly with his two publications Music in the Middle Ages and Music in the Renaissance ; these two books remain the standard reference works for these two eras,...
, Music in the Renaissance. New York, W.W. Norton & Co., 1954. ISBN 0-393-09530-4