Vincenzo Ruffo
Encyclopedia
Vincenzo Ruffo was an Italian
composer of the Renaissance
. He was one of the composers most responsive to the musical reforms suggested by the Council of Trent
, especially in his composition of masses
, and as such was an influential member of the Counter-Reformation
.
Vincenzo Ruffo was born at Verona
, and became a priest there in 1531. Most likely he studied with Biagio Rossetti
, the organist at the cathedral in Verona. Ruffo published his first book of music in 1542. Also in 1542 he became maestro di cappella at the cathedral in Savona
, but he only held this position for a year; the cathedral was destroyed in 1543 by the Genoese, and Ruffo fled.
In either 1543 or 1544 he went to Milan
to work for Alfonso d'Avalos
, who was the governor of Milan at this time. When d'Avalos was called back to Madrid in 1546, Ruffo went back to in Verona, where he was the music director at the Accademia Filarmonica in 1551-1552, superseding Jan Nasco
; in 1554 he became the choirmaster at the cathedral of Verona. While there he probably taught Gian Matteo Asola and Marc' Antonio Ingegneri, the teacher of Monteverdi
; it is possible, though not proven, that he taught Andrea Gabrieli
there as well.
His music during this time was strongly influenced by the Franco-Flemish school, but when he in 1563 became maestro di cappella in the cathedral of Milan under Carlo Borromeo, he began composing in the Tridentine
style of which Borromeo was a strong supporter. One of the criticisms of the Council of Trent was that music had become so contrapuntally complex that it was impossible the understand the words being sung: Ruffo responded by composing masses in as simple a style as was consistent with clear expression of the text. Late in his life, however, he evidently became dissatisfied with composing masses in a strictly chordal
style and returned to using a moderately contrapuntal style.
In 1572 he became the maestro di cappella at Pistoia
, and then Milan again; for his final job he had a similar employment at the cathedral in Sacile
, where he died in 1587.
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 of the 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...
. He was one of the composers most responsive to the musical reforms suggested by 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...
, especially in his composition of 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...
, and as such was an influential member of 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...
.
Vincenzo Ruffo was born at 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...
, and became a priest there in 1531. Most likely he studied with Biagio Rossetti
Biagio Rossetti
Biagio Rossetti was an Italian architect and urbanist from Ferrara. A military engineer since 1483, and the ducal architect of Ercole I d'Este, in 1492 Rossetti was assigned the project of enlarging the city of Ferrara....
, the organist at the cathedral in Verona. Ruffo published his first book of music in 1542. Also in 1542 he became maestro di cappella at the cathedral in Savona
Savona
Savona is a seaport and comune in the northern Italian region of Liguria, capital of the Province of Savona, in the Riviera di Ponente on the Mediterranean Sea....
, but he only held this position for a year; the cathedral was destroyed in 1543 by the Genoese, and Ruffo fled.
In either 1543 or 1544 he went to Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
to work for Alfonso d'Avalos
Alfonso d'Avalos
Alfonso d'Avalos d'Aquino, 4th Marchese di Pescara e del Vasto was a condottiero of Spanish-Italian origin.He was born in Ischia, the nephew of Francesco Ferdinando I d´Ávalos, inheriting his uncle titles after 1525, fighting the French and the Venetians by his side...
, who was the governor of Milan at this time. When d'Avalos was called back to Madrid in 1546, Ruffo went back to in Verona, where he was the music director at the Accademia Filarmonica in 1551-1552, superseding Jan Nasco
Jan Nasco
Jan Nasco was a Franco-Flemish composer and writer on music, mainly active in Italy. He was the first director of the Veronese Accademia Filarmonica, and his writings, particularly a group of letters he wrote to the Academy in the 1550s, are important sources of information on performance...
; in 1554 he became the choirmaster at the cathedral of Verona. While there he probably taught Gian Matteo Asola and Marc' Antonio Ingegneri, the teacher of 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...
; it is possible, though not proven, that he taught Andrea Gabrieli
Andrea Gabrieli
Andrea Gabrieli was an Italian composer and organist of the late Renaissance. The uncle of the somewhat more famous Giovanni Gabrieli, he was the first internationally renowned member of the Venetian School of composers, and was extremely influential in spreading the Venetian style in Italy as...
there as well.
His music during this time was strongly influenced by the Franco-Flemish school, but when he in 1563 became maestro di cappella in the cathedral of Milan under Carlo Borromeo, he began composing in the Tridentine
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...
style of which Borromeo was a strong supporter. One of the criticisms of the Council of Trent was that music had become so contrapuntally complex that it was impossible the understand the words being sung: Ruffo responded by composing masses in as simple a style as was consistent with clear expression of the text. Late in his life, however, he evidently became dissatisfied with composing masses in a strictly chordal
Texture (music)
In music, texture is the way the melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic materials are combined in a composition , thus determining the overall quality of sound of a piece...
style and returned to using a moderately contrapuntal style.
In 1572 he became the maestro di cappella at Pistoia
Pistoia
Pistoia is a city and comune in the Tuscany region of Italy, the capital of a province of the same name, located about 30 km west and north of Florence and is crossed by the Ombrone Pistoiese, a tributary of the River Arno.-History:...
, and then Milan again; for his final job he had a similar employment at the cathedral in Sacile
Sacile
Sacile is a town and comune in the province of Pordenone, in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of north-east Italy. It is known as the "Garden of the Serenissima" after the many palaces that were constructed along the river Livenza for the nobility of the Most Serene Republic of...
, where he died in 1587.