Marco Scacchi
Encyclopedia
Marco Scacchi was an Italian composer
and writer on music.
Scacchi was born in Gallese
, Lazio. He studied under Giovanni Francesco Anerio
in Rome
. He was associated with the court at Warsaw
from 1626, and was kapellmeister
there from 1628 to 1649. His 1643 treatise Cribrum musicum accused Paul Siefert
of having poor technique, leading to a war of words which lasted years. He then returned to Italy after falling ill, where he concentrated on writing about music theory
. Scacchi believed that each genre of music should have its own unique style, and he devised his own system of classifying works which proved influential on later generations; Angelo Berardi
quoted him at length in his 1687 treatise Documenti armonici.
Scacchi was a prolific composer, who wrote masses
, madrigal
s, and sacred concerto
s. Nearly all of his stage works have been lost. He died in Gallese.
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and writer on music.
Scacchi was born in Gallese
Gallese
Gallese is an Italian comune in the Province of Viterbo, 35 km from that city.It was taken by Duke Thrasimund II of Spoleto in 737 or 738, at which time it was essential to communications between Rome and Ravenna and had a large fortress....
, Lazio. He studied under Giovanni Francesco Anerio
Giovanni Francesco Anerio
Giovanni Francesco Anerio was an Italian composer of the Roman School, of the very late Renaissance and early Baroque eras. He was the younger brother of Felice Anerio...
in Rome
Rome
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...
. He was associated with the court at Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
from 1626, and was kapellmeister
Kapellmeister
Kapellmeister is a German word designating a person in charge of music-making. The word is a compound, consisting of the roots Kapelle and Meister . The words Kapelle and Meister derive from the Latin: capella and magister...
there from 1628 to 1649. His 1643 treatise Cribrum musicum accused Paul Siefert
Paul Siefert
Paul Siefert was a German composer and organist associated with the North German school.-Biography:...
of having poor technique, leading to a war of words which lasted years. He then returned to Italy after falling ill, where he concentrated on writing about music theory
Music theory
Music theory is the study of how music works. It examines the language and notation of music. It seeks to identify patterns and structures in composers' techniques across or within genres, styles, or historical periods...
. Scacchi believed that each genre of music should have its own unique style, and he devised his own system of classifying works which proved influential on later generations; Angelo Berardi
Angelo Berardi
Angelo Berardi was an Italian music theorist and composer.Born in Sant'Agata Feltria, "Sant'Agata, Tuscany", or some other Sant'Agata yet to be identified, he received early education at Forlì under Giovanni Vincenzo Sarti . From 1662 he was maestro di cappella in Montefiascone...
quoted him at length in his 1687 treatise Documenti armonici.
Scacchi was a prolific composer, who wrote masses
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...
, 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 sacred concerto
Concerto
A concerto is a musical work usually composed in three parts or movements, in which one solo instrument is accompanied by an orchestra.The etymology is uncertain, but the word seems to have originated from the conjunction of the two Latin words...
s. Nearly all of his stage works have been lost. He died in Gallese.
Theoretical works
- Cribrum musicum ad triticum Siferticum, seu Examinatio succinta psalmorum ... Venetiis: Alessandro Vincenti, 1643
- Lettera per maggiore informatione a chi leggerà il mio 'Cribrum Venice, 1644; lost, survives in two manuscript transcriptions
- Judicium cribri musici Warsaw c1649; lost, manuscript transcription in the Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale Giovanni Battista Martini, Bologna
- Breve discorso sopra la musica moderna, di Marco Scacchi romano, maestro di cappella del serenissimo & potentissimo Giovanni Casimiro rè di Polonia & Svetia, ... Warszawa: Peter Elert 1649