Music
Musica · 242 articles · Principal contributors · All subjects-
Abba Cornaglia, Pietro
ABBA CORNAGLIA, PIETRO. - Musician, b. at Alessandria on 20 March 1851, d. there on 2 May 1894. Organist and director of the chapel of the… -
Abbatini, Antonio Maria
ABBATINI, ANTONIO MARIA. - Musician, b. at Città di Castello in 1597 (?), d. there between 1679 and 1680. From 1628 he was choirmaster of… -
Accent (ACCENTO)
ACCENT. - Etymologically, accent comes from "ad cantus," as something pertaining to music. In fact, to accent a word tonically is… -
Adam of Fulda (ADAMO DI FULDA)
ADAM OF FULDA. - Music theorist and composer, b. in 1445, d. shortly after 1517. Around 1490 he was at the Benedictine abbey of Vormbach… -
Adler, Guido
ADLER, GUIDO. - Musicologist b. at Eibenschütz on 1 Nov. 1855, d. at Vienna on 15 Feb. 1941. He studied law at the University of that city,… -
Adlung, Jakob
ADLUNG, JAKOB. - Musician, b. at Bindersleben, near Erfurt, on 14 Jan. 1699, d. at Erfurt on 5 July 1762. He was an organist (1727), and… -
Agazzari, Agostino
AGAZZARI, AGOSTINO. - Musician, b. in Siena on 2 Dec. 1578, d. there on 10 Apr. 1640. Choirmaster, first at the Collegio Germanico in Rome… -
Agostini, Paolo
AGOSTINI, PAOLO. - Musician b. at Vallerano ca. 1583, d. at Rome in September 1629. He was a pupil and later son-in-law of G. B. Nanino;… -
Agricola, Alessandro
AGRICOLA, ALESSANDRO. - Musician, b. ca. 1446 in Flanders. From boyhood he was a singer in the chapel of the Sforza in Milan, where he… -
Ahle, Johann Rudolph
AHLE, JOHANN RUDOLPH. - Theologian and musician, b. 24 Dec. 1626 at Mülhausen in Thuringia, d. there 9 July 1673. Among his many works are… -
Aiblinger, Johann Kaspar
AIBLINGER, JOHANN KASPAR. - Composer, b. at Wasserburg on the Inn on 23 Feb. 1779, d. at Munich on 6 May 1867. He completed his musical… -
Aichinger, Gregor
AICHINGER, GREGOR. - Composer b. in Regensburg in 1564, d. in Augsburg on 21 Jan. 1628. He studied in Ingolstadt, was organist in the… -
Albanesi, Luigi
ALBANESI, LUIGI. - Composer, b. in Rome on 3 March 1821, d. in Naples on 4 Dec. 1897. He was a pianist and teacher of good repute; his… -
Albert, Heinrich
ALBERT, HEINRICH. - Composer, b. at Löbenstein on 8 July 1604, d. at Königsberg on 10 Oct. 1651. He first studied at Dresden (1622), then… -
Alberti, Domenico
ALBERTI, DOMENICO. - Composer, b. in 1710 in Venice, d. there in 1740. Of a noble family, he cultivated music not professionally; a pupil… -
Albrechtsberger, Johann Georg
ALBRECHTSBERGER, JOHANN GEORG. - Musician, b. 3 Feb. 1736 at Klosterneuburg. A distinguished theorist, teacher and composer, after having… -
Albrigi (Albrizi), Vincenzo
ALBRIGI (ALBRIZI), VINCENZO. - Musician, b. in Rome on 26 June 1631, d. in Prague on 18 Aug. 1696. He studied in Rome, then was maestro di… -
Alfieri, Pietro
ALFIERI, PIETRO. - Musician, b. June 29, 1801 and d. June 12, 1863 in Rome. A Camaldolese monk, abbot, professor of singing at the English… -
Amelli, Ambrogio Maria
AMELLI, AMBROGIO MARIA. - Historian, paleographer and musicologist, b. in Milan on 19 March 1848, d. at Montecassino on 25 Aug. 1933. He… -
Andrevi, Francesco
ANDREVI, FRANCESCO. - Musician, Spanish priest of Italian origin, b. at Sanabuya on 16 Nov. 1786, d. on 23 Nov. 1853. He was choirmaster in… -
Anerio, Family (ANERIO, FAMIGLIA)
ANERIO, FAMILY. - A house to which several musicians belonged, among whom the following are famous: MAURIZIO, of Narni, a trombone player… -
Anfossi, Pasquale
ANFOSSI, PASQUALE. - Musician, b. at Taggia (Imperia) in 1727, studied at the conservatory of S. Maria di Loreto in Naples. He died in… -
Annibale Padovano
ANNIBALE PADOVANO. - Musician, b. in Padua in 1527, d. in Graz in 1575. From 1552 he was organist of the second organ at St. Mark's in… -
Anthem
ANTHEM. - From the Greek ἀντιφανή = antiphon, an English term used to designate, in the liturgy of the Anglican Church, a religious… -
Antiphon (ANTIFONA)
ANTIPHON. - From ἀντιφανή = alternating chant between two choirs. It is a brief formula, composed of one or more phrases that highlights… -
Aretino, Paolo
ARETINO, PAOLO. - Born in Arezzo in 1508, he was choirmaster at the cathedral of his native city from 1538 to 1544; then at the collegiate… -
Aria
ARIA. - This name was given to various forms of composition that were continually renewed both in the field of sacred and religious music… -
Arresti, Giulio Cesare
ARRESTI, GIULIO CESARE. - Musician, b. in Bologna in 1630, d. there in 1695. Choirmaster at S. Salvatore in 1668 and in 1685 organist at S.… -
Ars Antiqua
ARS ANTIQUA. - This is the name given, in contrast to the Ars nova (v.) of the 14th century, to the sacred composition of the first era of… -
Ars Nova
ARS NOVA. - This was the name given to the current of renewal in sacred composition that animated polyphonic music from the early years of… -
Asioli, Bonifazio
ASIOLI, BONIFAZIO. - Musician, b. at Correggio on 30 Aug. 1769; d. there on 18 May 1832. He studied composition at Parma and became maestro… -
Asola, Giovanni Matteo
ASOLA, GIOVANNI MATTEO. - Musician b. in Verona ca. 1560, d. in Venice on 1 October 1609. The scanty biographical information is inferred… -
Assmayer, Ignaz
ASSMAYER, IGNAZ. - Musician, b. in Salzburg on 11 Feb. 1790, d. in Vienna on 31 Aug. 1862. A pupil of Michael Haydn, he was an organist and… -
Aubry, Pierre
AUBRY, PIERRE. - Musicologist, b. in Paris on 14 Feb. 1874, d. at Dieppe on 31 Aug. 1910. Learned in the Oriental languages, he was a keen… -
Aurelian of Reomé (AURELIANO DI REOMÉ)
AURELIAN OF REOMÉ. - French monk who lived in the 9th century. His treatise De musicae disciplina, written around 830, of which two… -
Babaj of Gebilta (BĀBAJ DI GĒBILTĀ)
BĀBAJ of GĒBILTĀ. - Musician of the 8th century, reformer of Nestorian chant, which had greatly declined in his time. He founded 24… -
Baralli, Raffaello
BARALLI, RAFFAELLO. - Musician, b. at Comigliano (Lucca), on 25 June 1862, d. in 1922. A priest, he was actively involved in Gregorian… -
Bas, Giulio
BAS, GIULIO. - Musician, b. in Venice on 21 April 1874, d. in Genoa on 27 July 1929. Choirmaster and organist in Venice (St. Mark's), and… -
Basili, Andrea
BASILI, ANDREA. - Composer, b. at Città della Pieve (1703?), d. at Loreto on 29 Aug. 1777. Organist at the Holy House, he is the author of… -
Bazzini, Antonio
BAZZINI, ANTONIO. - Composer and violinist, b. in Brescia in 1818, d. in Milan in 1897. Choirmaster in Brescia, then professor and director… -
Beethoven, Ludwig van
BEETHOVEN, LUDWIG van. - Musician, b. in Bonn on 17 Dec. 1770, d. in Vienna on 26 March 1827. A descendant of a family of musicians of… -
Bellini, Vincenzo
BELLINI, VINCENZO. - Musician, b. in Catania on 1 Nov. 1801, d. at Puteaux (Paris) on 24 Sept. 1835. The son of an organist, he studied at… -
Benevoli, Orazio
BENEVOLI, ORAZIO. - Musician, b. in Rome on 9 April 1605, d. there on 17 June 1672. He was a boy chorister, then choirmaster at S. Luigi… -
Berlioz, Hector
BERLIOZ, HECTOR. - Composer, b. at Côte-St-André (Isère) on 11 Dec. 1803, d. at Paris on 8 March 1869. He studied in Paris, first as a… -
Bernabei, Ercole
BERNABEI, ERCOLE. - Musician, b. at Caprarola between 1620 and 1622, d. at Munich in 1687. A pupil of Orazio Benevoli, in 1663 he was… -
Boccherini, Luigi
BOCCHERINI, LUIGI. - Musician, b. in Lucca on Sept. 19, 1743, d. in Madrid on May 28, 1805. He first studied in the seminary of Lucca with… -
Boito, Arrigo
BOITO, ARRIGO. - Musician and man of letters, b. in Padua on 24 Feb. 1842, d. in Milan on 10 June 1918. Of a Venetian father and a Polish… -
Bordes, Charles
BORDES, CHARLES. - Musician, b. at Vouvray-sur-Loire on 12 May 1863, d. at Toulon on 8 Nov. 1909. A pupil of César Franck, he was… -
Bossi, Marco Enrico
BOSSI, MARCO ENRICO. - Organist and composer, b. at Salò on 25 April 1861; d. on board ship on 20 February 1925, while returning from… -
Brahms, Johannes
BRAHMS, JOHANNES. - Musician, b. in Hamburg on 7 May 1833, d. in Vienna on 3 Apr. 1897. Of his many compositions of a religious character… -
Brumel, Anton
BRUMEL, ANTON. - Flemish musician, b. around 1480 and d. after 1540. A contemporary of Després (v.) and a pupil of Okeghem (v.), there… -
Brunelli, Antonio
BRUNELLI, ANTONIO. - Musician from Viterbo. Flourished at the beginning of the 17th century. A pupil of G. M. > (photo Alinari) >… -
Byzantine, Music (BIZANTINA, MUSICA)
BYZANTINE, MUSIC. - This is the name generally given to the musical system of the Churches of the Byzantine rite, which had Byzantium as… -
Cabanillas, Juan José
CABANILLAS, JUAN JOSÉ. - Spanish organist, b. at Algemesi on 6 Sept. 1644, d. on 29 Apr. 1712. Before 1668, while not yet a priest, he was… -
Cabezón, Antonio de
CABEZÓN, ANTONIO de. - Spanish musician, b. in 1510 at Castrillo de Matajudíos, and d. on 25 March 1566. In childhood he became blind, and… -
Cadence in Psalmody (CADENZA NELLA SALMODIA)
CADENCE IN PSALMODY. - When the psalms are sung in their entirety in a single stretch, or are performed by alternating the two choirs, or… -
Cafaro, Pasquale
CAFARO, PASQUALE. - Musician, b. at S. Pietro in Galatina (Lecce) on 8 Feb. 1706, d. at Naples on 21 Oct. 1787. He studied music at the… -
Caffi, Francesco
CAFFI, FRANCESCO. - Composer and music historian, b. in Venice in 1778, d. in Padua in 1874. After serving until 1827 in Milan as a court… -
Cametti, Alberto
CAMETTI, ALBERTO. - Musicologist and composer, b. in Rome on 5 May 1871, d. there on 1 June 1935. Choirmaster at S. Luigi de' Francesi in… -
Candotti, Giovanni Battista
CANDOTTI, GIOVANNI BATTISTA. - Musician, b. at Codroipo on 1 Aug. 1809, d. at Cividale on 11 Apr. 1876. A priest, composer, organist, and… -
Cantata
CANTATA. - The cantata in general has its origins in the 17th century. Accompanied monody, which succeeded the polyphony of the 16th… -
Capra, Marcello
CAPRA, MARCELLO. - Musician b. in Turin in 1862, d. there in 1933. A pupil of Haberl and Renner in Regensburg, in 1897 he founded a… -
Carillon
CARILLON. - Perhaps from Low Latin quadrilio (group of four bells). A set of bells, generally small, tuned to a scale; used from as early… -
Carissimi, Giacomo
CARISSIMI, GIACOMO. - Musician, b. at Marino on 18 April 1605, d. at Rome on 12 Jan. 1674. Despite the fame he enjoyed in his own time,… -
Casali, Giovanni Battista
CASALI, GIOVANNI BATTISTA. - He was chiefly a composer of sacred music. Born in Rome in 1715, he was appointed there in 1759 maestro di… -
Cascio, Claudio (CASCIOLINI, CLAUDIO)
CASCIO, CLAUDIO. - Musician, b. in Rome in 1670, d. there ca. 1740. A singer and choir master in the chapel of S. Lorenzo in Damaso in… -
Casimiri, Raffaele
CASIMIRI, RAFFAELE. - Musician and musicologist, b. at Gualdo Tadino (Perugia) on 3 Nov. 1880, d. at Rome on 15 Apr. 1943, canon of St.… -
Cecilian Movement (CECILIANO, MOVIMENTO)
CECILIAN MOVEMENT. - An organization of devotees and supporters of church music; it took its name from St. Cecilia, commonly invoked and… -
Chant Accent (ACCENTO CANTORALE)
CHANT ACCENT. - Under this heading are included: a) the elements that formed primitive musical notation; b) the signs used in the reading… -
Chapel Composition (CAPPELLA, COMPOSIZIONE A)
CHAPEL COMPOSITION. - In the period of the greatest splendor of polyphonic music, when the most notable centers of musical life were the… -
Chapel Music (CAPPELLA MUSICALE)
CHAPEL MUSIC. - A body of voices and sometimes also of instruments assigned to liturgical service at a court, a cathedral, a cardinal's… -
Charpentier, Marc-Antoine
CHARPENTIER, MARC-ANTOINE. - Musician, b. in Paris in 1634, d. there on 24 Feb. 1704. He trained at the school of Carissimi in Rome, where… -
Cherubini, Luigi
CHERUBINI, LUIGI. - Musician, b. in Florence on 14 Sept. 1760, d. in Paris on 15 March 1842. He was a pupil of his father, then of the… -
Chopin, Frédéric
CHOPIN, FRÉDÉRIC. - Composer and pianist, b. at Zelazowa-Wola (Warsaw) on 22 Feb. 1810, d. in Paris on 17 Oct. 1849. In Warsaw, having… -
Cimarosa, Domenico
CIMAROSA, DOMENICO. - Italian opera composer of the 18th century, b. at Aversa in 1749. He studied in Naples with the organist P. Polcabo… -
Clari, Giovanni Carlo Maria
CLARI, GIOVANNI CARLO MARIA. - Musician, b. at Pisa on 27 Nov. 1677, d. there on 16 May 1754. He studied first with his father Giovanni… -
Clemens, Jacob, Known as Not the Pope (CLEMENS, JACOB, DETTO NON PAPA)
CLEMENS, Jacob, Known as Not the Pope. - Musician, b. in Flanders toward the end of the 15th century or the beginning of the 16th, d. at… -
Clementi, Muzio
CLEMENTI, Muzio. - Musician, b. in Rome on 24 Jan. 1752, d. in London on 10 March 1832. A pupil of Buroni, Cordicelli, Carpani and… -
Colonna, Giovanni Paolo
COLONNA, GIOVANNI PAOLO. - Son of an organ builder, b. 16 June 1637 in Bologna, died there 28 Nov. 1695. He first studied in his native… -
Conductus
CONDUCTUS. - It is one of the most interesting musical forms of the Middle Ages, in which the composer had freedom of choice as to text and… -
Corelli, Arcangelo
CORELLI, ARCANGELO. - Violinist and composer, b. at Fusignano on 17 Feb. 1653, d. at Rome on 8 Jan. 1713. In 1677 he was received, in Rome,… -
Couperin, Family (COUPERIN, FAMIGLIA)
COUPERIN, FAMILY. - Descendants of a MATHURIN C. from the beginning of the 17th century, the C. were, like the Bachs, a family of fervent… -
Coussemaker, Charles-Edmond-Henri de
COUSSEMAKER, CHARLES-EDMOND-HENRI de. - Musicologist, b. at Beilleul on 19 Apr. 1805, d. at Lille on 10 Jan. 1876. He studied law in Paris… -
Cross, Giovanni (CROCE, GIOVANNI)
CROSS, GIOVANNI. - Also called Ioannes a Cruce or "il Chiozzotto," from Chioggia, where he was born in 1557 and died on May 15, 1609. He… -
Crotalum (Κρόταλον, Crotalum) (CROTALO (ΚΡΌΤΑΛΟΙ, CROTALUM))
CROTALUM (Κρόταλον, Crotalum). - A percussion instrument, corresponding to castanets, of Eastern origin, attested for Greece already before… -
Debussy, Claude-Achille
DEBUSSY, CLAUDE-ACHILLE. - Musician, b. at St-Germain-en-Laye (Paris) on 22 Aug. 1862, d. in Paris on 26 March 1918. An artist of great… -
Dechevrens, Antoine
DECHEVRENS, ANTOINE. - Jesuit, musician, b. at Chêne (Geneva) on 3 Nov. 1840, d. at Geneva on 17 Jan. 1912. He was choirmaster in churches… -
De Cruce, Pietro
DE CRUCE, PIETRO. - Composer and music theorist of the 13th century, born perhaps at Amiens (and therefore called Ambianensis). Although he… -
De Rossi, Giuseppe
DE ROSSI, GIUSEPPE. - Abbot and musician, b. in Rome around the middle of the 17th century, d. there in 1719 or 1720. Choirmaster at Castel… -
De Santi, Angelo
DE SANTI, ANGELO. - Jesuit, b. in Trieste on 12 July 1847, d. in Rome on 28 Jan. 1922. After completing his studies he devoted himself at… -
Desprez, Josquin
DESPREZ, JOSQUIN. - The greatest composer of the Low Countries, active in the second half of the 15th century, born around 1450 in Hainaut,… -
De Vitry, Philippe
DE VITRY, PHILIPPE. - Poet, composer and music theorist, b. at Vitry (Champagne) on 31 Oct. 1291 and d. on 9 June 1361 at Meaux, the city… -
Diaphony (DIAFONIA)
DIAPHONY. - A genre of composition in early polyphony (v. ARS ANTIQUA), whose name is used by medieval theorists (9th-12th centuries) as… -
Di Bartolo, Erasmo
DI BARTOLO, ERASMO. - Musician, b. in Gaeta in 1606, d. in Naples in 1656, called p. Raimo, of the confraternity of the Trinity in Naples.… -
D'Indy, Paul-Marie-Théodore-Vincent
D'INDY, PAUL-MARIE-THÉODORE-VINCENT. - Musician, b. in Paris on 27 March 1851, d. there on 2 Dec. 1931. A pupil of César Franck, he was… -
Diruta, Girolamo (DIRUTA, GEROLAMO)
DIRUTA, GIROLAMO. - Musician, b. in Perugia ca. 1560. The date of his death is unknown. A pupil of Zarlino, A. Gabrieli, Costanzo Porta and… -
Discant (DISCANTO)
DISCANT. - By this term, which is meant to be regarded as a translation of the Greek term Sixquola, is indicated an ancient form of… -
Donizetti, Gaetano
DONIZETTI, GAETANO. - Musician, b. in Bergamo on 25 Nov. 1797, d. there on 8 Apr. 1848. A most prolific composer, no fewer than 65 stage… -
Dragoni, Giovanni Andrea
DRAGONI, GIOVANNI ANDREA. - Musician, b. at Mendola ca. 1540, d. at Rome in 1598. A pupil of Palestrina, he was choirmaster of St. John… -
Dubois, François-Clément-Théodore
DUBOIS, FRANÇOIS-CLÉMENT-THÉODORE. - Musician, b. at Rosnay on 24 Aug. 1837, d. in Paris on 11 June 1924. He won the first Prix de Rome,… -
Duet (DUETTO)
DUET. - Il termine (diminutivo di duo) non indica propriamente un genere musicale, ma vari tipi di composizioni costituite da due voci o… -
Dufay, Guillaume
DUFAY, GUILLAUME. - Musician, b. around 1400 perhaps in the old county of Hainaut (Hannonia), d. at Cambrai on 27 Nov. 1474. In 1420 he… -
Dunstable, John
DUNSTABLE, JOHN. - Composer and astronomer, b. perhaps at Dunstable in Bedfordshire around 1370 and d. at Walbrooke on 24 Dec. 1453. He was… -
Durante, Francesco
DURANTE, FRANCESCO. - Musician, b. at Frattamaggiore on 15 March 1684, d. at Naples on 13 Aug. 1755. A pupil of G. Ottavio Pitoni and… -
Embellishment (ABBELLIMENTO)
EMBELLISHMENT. - Abbellimenti, ornaments or musical embellishments (which the French call agréments, broderies, the Germans Verzierungen,… -
Ett, Kaspar
ETT, KASPAR. - Musician, b. at Eresing in Bavaria on 5 Jan. 1788, d. at Munich on 16 May 1877. He studied at the Seminary of the Electorate… -
Falso Bordone
FALSO BORDONE. - Name given to a primitive form of polyphony, characterized by the exclusive use of thirds and sixths as well as by… -
Farcitura
FARCITURA. - From the French farce, it refers to a series of interpolations into a liturgical text that is sung or recited: "Kyrie… -
Fasolo, Giovanni Battista
FASOLO, GIOVANNI BATTISTA. - Franciscan, b. at Asti (or at Bergamo?) and active in the 17th century, composer and organist; he was… -
Fauré, Gabriel (FAURÈ, GABRIEL)
FAURÉ, GABRIEL. - Musician, b. at Pamiers on 21 May 1845, d. at Paris on 4 Nov. 1924. A pupil of Niedermayer, Dietsch and Saint-Saëns, in… -
Fenaroli, Fedele
FENAROLI, FEDELE. - Composer and music theorist, b. at Lanciano on 25 April 1730 and d. at Naples on 1 January 1818. He studied with… -
Ferretti, Paolo Maria
FERRETTI, PAOLO MARIA. - Born at Subiaco on 3 December 1866, died at Bologna on 23 May 1938. A Benedictine monk at Genoa, he was later… -
Festa, Costanzo
FESTA, COSTANZO. - Musician, b. in the diocese of Turin (as appears from a motu proprio of Leo X, dated 1 Nov. 1517), around 1465, d. in… -
Fétis, François-Joseph (FETIS, FRANÇOIS-JOSEPH)
FÉTIS, FRANÇOIS-JOSEPH. - Musician, historian and music critic, b. at Mons on 15 March 1784, d. at Brussels on 26 March 1871. He studied at… -
Ficta (False), Music (FICTA (FALSA), MUSICA)
FICTA (FALSE), MUSIC. - The expression "musica falsa" certainly exists in the first half of the 13th century, since around 1250… -
Foggia, Francesco
FOGGIA, FRANCESCO. - Musician, b. in Rome in 1605, d. there in 1688 and buried in S. Prassede. He studied with Cifra, Nassini and Agostini.… -
Franck, César-Auguste
FRANCK, CÉSAR-AUGUSTE. - Organist and composer, b. at Liège on 10 Dec. 1822, d. at Paris on 8 Nov. 1890. After beginning his studies at… -
Franco of Cologne (FRANCO DI COLONIA)
FRANCO OF COLOGNE. - Music theorist and composer, active in the 13th century (ca. 1250-80). From manuscripts of his works it is known that… -
Frescobaldi, Girolamo (FRESCOBALDI, GEROLAMO)
FRESCOBALDI, GIROLAMO. - Organist and composer, b. in Ferrara, where he was baptized in the Cathedral on 9 September 1583, d. in Rome on 1… -
Furlanetto, Bonaventura
FURLANETTO, BONAVENTURA. - Musician, b. in Venice on 27 May 1738, d. there on 6 April 1817. A pupil of Formenti and Bolla, he taught at the… -
Fux, Johann Joseph
FUX, JOHANN JOSEPH. - Musician, b. at Hirtenfeld in Styria in 1660, d. at Vienna on 14 February 1741. From 1696 to 1702 he was organist of… -
Gabrieli, Andrea
GABRIELI, ANDREA. - Musician, b. in Venice ca. 1510, d. there in 1586; not much is known about his life, which was presumably spent in the… -
Gaisser, Ugo Atanasio
GAISSER, Ugo ATANASIO. - Musicologist, b. at Aitrach on 1 Dec. 1853, d. at Ettal on 6 Oct. 1920. A Benedictine monk at Beuron, he later… -
Galilei, Vincenzo
GALILEI, VINCENZO. - Musician and theorist, father of Galileo, b. in Florence around 1533, d. there at the end of June 1591. A skilled… -
Gallicano Chant (GALLICANO, CANTO)
GALLICANO CHANT. - In a broad sense the term Gallican chant extends to all forms of monodic liturgical music of the Western Church that are… -
Galluppi, Baldassarre, called Il Buranello (GALLUPPI, BALDASSARRE, DETTO IL BURANELLO)
GALLUPPI, Baldassarre, called Il Buranello. - Musician, b. at Burano on 18 Oct. 1706 and d. at Venice on 3 Jan. 1785. A pupil of Lotti, he… -
Gastoué, Amédée
GASTOUÉ, AMÉDÉE. - Musicologist and musician, b. in Paris on 13 March 1873, d. there on 29 July 1943. A pupil of the Conservatory, he was… -
Gevaert, François-Auguste
GEVAERT, FRANÇOIS-AUGUSTE. - Musician and musicologist, b. at Huysse (Belgium) on 31 July 1828, d. at Brussels on 31 Dec. 1908. A pupil at… -
Giacobbi, Girolamo
GIACOBBI, GIROLAMO. - Musician, b. in Bologna in Aug. 1567, d. there in Feb. 1630. In 1589 he was substitute and in 1604 effective director… -
Giovannelli (Giovanelli), Ruggero
GIOVANNELLI (GIOVANELLI), RUGGERO. - Musician, b. at Velletri around 1560, d. at Rome on 8 Jan. 1625. A pupil of Nannini, he very soon… -
Gluck, Christoph Willibald
GLUCK, CHRI- STOPH WILLIBALD. - Melodramatic composer, b. at Weidenwang near Erbach, in Bavaria, on 2 July 1714, d. at Vienna on 15 Nov.… -
Goudimel, Claude
GOUDIMEL, CLAUDE. - Musician, b. at Besançon around 1508, d. at Lyon on 27 Aug. 1572, killed in the massacre that followed St.… -
Gounod, Charles
GOUNOD, CHARLES. - Musician, b. in Paris on June 17, 1818, d. at St-Cloud on Oct. 17, 1893. Of precocious intellect, he studied music,… -
Graun, Karl Heinrich
GRAUN, KARL HEINRICH. - Musician, b. at Wahrenbrück on 7 May 1701, d. at Berlin on 8 Aug. 1759. He completed serious and profound studies… -
Guglielmi, Pietro Alessandro
GUGLIELMI, PIETRO ALESSANDRO. - Composer and teacher, b. at Massa on 10 Dec. 1728, d. at Rome on 20 Nov. 1804. After his first musical… -
Guilmant, Félix-Alexandre
GUILMANT, FÉLIX-ALEXANDRE. - Organist and composer, b. at Boulogne-sur-Mer on 12 March 1837, d. at Mendon (Paris) on 29 March 1911. With… -
Haberl, Franz Xaver (HABERL, FRANZ XAVIER)
HABERL, FRANZ XAVIER. - Musician and musicologist, b. at Oberellenbach on 12 April 1840, d. at Regensburg on 5 September 1910. Having… -
Haller, Michael
HALLER, MICHAEL. - Composer and theorist, b. at Neusath on 13 January 1840, d. at Regensburg on 4 January 1915. Having entered the seminary… -
Handel, Georg Friedrich (HÄNDEL, GEORG FRIEDRICH)
HANDEL, GEORG FRIEDRICH. - Musician, b. in Halle on 23 Feb. 1685, d. in London on 14 Apr. 1759. > (courtesy of Dr. B. Degenhart)… -
Harmonium (ARMONIO)
HARMONIUM. - It is a keyboard instrument whose sound is produced by free reeds without resonators, placed horizontally beneath the… -
Harp (ARPA)
HARP. - Legendary tales recount the obscure, very ancient origin of the h. Egyptian monuments depict h. variously ornamented, which over… -
Harpsichord (CEMBALO)
HARPSICHORD. - From the Greek κόμβαλον, Latin cymbalum. A very ancient instrument, very probably of Eastern origin, consisting of 2 round… -
Hassler, Franz Leo
HASSLER, FRANZ LEO. - Organist and composer, b. in Nuremberg in 1564, d. in Frankfurt am Main on 8 June 1612. He studied in Venice with A.… -
Hexachord (ESACORDO)
HEXACHORD. - A system, or musical scale, of six sounds adopted around the 11th century in musical teaching, together with the monosyllables… -
Ingegneri, Marc'Antonio
INGEGNERI, MARC'ANTONIO. - Musician, b. in Verona, probably around 1545-47, d. in Cremona on July 1, 1592. Biographical information is… -
Intabulation (INTAVOLATURA)
INTABULATION. - A system, no longer in use, of instrumental musical notation. When, in the second half of the 15th century, polyphonic… -
Intermezzo
INTERMEZZO. - Also called "intermedio," "rappresentazione intermediata," it is a short stage piece to be inserted between two acts of the… -
Isorelli, Dionisio
ISORELLI, DIONISIO. - Musician, b. in Parma in 1544, d. in Rome on 21 April 1632. After having served at the court of the Medici in… -
Jommelli, Niccolò
JOMMELLI, NICCOLÒ. - Composer and maestro, b. at Aversa on 10 Sept. 1714, d. at Naples on 25 Aug. 1774. He first studied with Canon… -
Kerle, Jacob de
KERLE, JACOB de. - Musician, b. at Ypres ca. 1530, d. at Prague on 7 Jan. 1591. In 1555 he was organist at Orvieto, whence he moved as… -
Lafage, Juste-Adrien
LAFAGE, JUSTE-ADRIEN. - Composer and musicologist, b. in Paris on 28 (according to some, 27) March 1801 (according to some, 1805), d. there… -
Lambillotte, Louis
LAMBILLOTTE, LOUIS. - Jesuit, composer and paleographer of sacred music, b. at Hamaide (Charlevoix) on 27 March 1769, d. at Vaugirard… -
Landino, Francesco
LANDINO, FRANCESCO. - Musician, also called Franciscus de Florentia, Magister Franciscus, or the blind man of the organs. Born in Florence… -
Landi, Stefano
LANDI, STEFANO. - Musician, b. in Rome ca. 1590, d. there ca. 1655. In 1619 he became maestro di cappella of Marco Cornaro, bishop of… -
Lasso (di), Orlando (Roland de Lattre, Orlandus Lassus)
LASSO (di), Orlando (Roland de Lattre, Orlandus Lassus). - Musician, b. at Mons (Belgium) probably in 1532, d. at Munich on 14 June 1594. A… -
Lauda
LAUDA. - Spiritual laude, extra-liturgical religious songs in the vernacular, developed in the 13th century in Umbria and then in Tuscany,… -
Leo, Leonardo
LEO, LEONARDO. - Musician, b. at S. Vito degli Schiavi (dei Normanni) on 5 Aug. 1694, d. at Naples on 31 Oct. 1744. He studied at the… -
Leoninus
LEONINUS. - Composer of the Ars antiqua, active in the 12th century (ca. 1160-80) in Paris, at the church of Beatae Mariae Virginis, later… -
Lied
LIED. - A song in the German vernacular that arose, in the first centuries after the year 1000, with the development of the individual… -
Liszt, Franz
LISZT, FRANZ. - Musician, b. at Raiding (Hungary) on 22 Oct. 1811, d. at Bayreuth on 31 July 1886. He showed very precocious aptitudes for… -
Lotti, Antonio
LOTTI, ANTONIO. - Organist and composer, of Venetian origin, b. ca. 1667, d. in Venice on 5 Jan. 1740. Admitted in 1687 as a singer, into… -
Lulli, Giovanni Battista
LULLI, GIOVANNI BATTISTA. - Musician, b. in Florence on 29 Nov. 1632, d. in Paris on 22 March 1687. As a boy he was taken to Paris by the… -
Machaut (Machault), Guillaume
MACHAUT (MACHAULT), GUILLAUME. - Poet and musician, b. ca. 1300 at Machaut (Champagne). A cleric in 1323, he died in 1377 as canon of the… -
Madrigal (MADRIGALE)
MADRIGAL. - From "matricale," with reference both to language and to maternal song; or from "mandriale," a shepherd's song. In its most… -
Magri, Pietro
MAGRI, PIETRO. - Priest, musician, b. at Vigarano Mainarda in 1873, d. at Oropa on 24 July 1937. He studied at the Seminary of Faenza,… -
Manfredini, Francesco
MANFREDINI, FRANCESCO. - Musician, b. in Pistoia around 1688, d. there in 1748. An expert violin player, first at the Accademia dello… -
Marcello, Benedetto
MARCELLO, BENEDETTO. - Musician, b. in Venice on 24 July 1686, d. in Brescia on 24 July 1739. He earned a degree in jurisprudence, which… -
Marenzio, Luca
MARENZIO, LUCA. - Musician, b. at Cocceglio (Brescia) ca. 1553, d. at Rome on 22 Aug. 1599. A pupil of Giovanni Cotino, maestro di cappella… -
Martini, Giambattista
MARTINI, GIAMBATTISTA. - Of the Conventual Friars Minor, musician and musicologist, b. in Bologna on 24 April 1706, d. there on 3 August… -
Mascagni, Pietro
MASCAGNI, PIETRO. - Composer and conductor, b. at Livorno on 7 Dec. 1863, d. at Rome on 2 Aug. 1945. At the school of sacred music of… -
Mattei, Stanislao
MATTEI, STANISLAO. - Of the Order of Friars Minor Conventual, musician, b. in Bologna on 10 February 1750, d. there on 12 May 1825. A pupil… -
Mattioli, Guglielmo
MATTIOLI, GUGLIELMO. - Musician, b. in Reggio Emilia on 14 Oct. 1859, d. in Bologna on 7 May 1924. Having graduated from the Liceo musicale… -
Melisma
MELISMA. - Term generally reserved for ancient liturgical music, whether Eastern (Byzantine, Syriac, etc.) or Western (Gregorian,… -
Melody (MELODIA)
MELODY. - It is the essence of music, its living substance, which organizes itself into discourse and within it unfolds a musical thought.… -
Meluzzi, Salvatore
MELUZZI, SALVATORE. - Master composer, b. in Rome on 22 Aug. 1813, d. there on 17 Apr. 1897. Trained in the traditional Roman school, he… -
Mensuralism (MENSURALISMO)
MENSURALISM. - The body of theories that favor a measured rhythm of Gregorian melodies, as opposed to the theories favoring a free rhythm.… -
Mercadante, Saverio Raffaele
MERCADANTE, SAVERIO RAFFAELE. - Musician, b. at Altamura in Sept. 1795, d. at Naples on 12 Dec. 1870, where he was a pupil of Zingarelli.… -
Merulo (Merlotti), Claudio
MERULO (MERLOTTI), CLAUDIO. - Musician, b. at Correggio on 8 April 1533, d. at Parma on 4 May 1604. On 2 July 1557 he was appointed second… -
Meyerbeer, Jakob
MEYERBEER, JAKOB. - Musician, b. in Berlin on Sept. 23, 1791, d. in Paris on May 2, 1864. He added his surname Beer to that of a relative,… -
Minnesang (MINNEGESANG)
MINNESANG. - From the old German Minne = love, and Gesang = song; a monodic lyrical current that flourished in the German-speaking lands… -
Mocquereau, André
MOCQUEREAU, ANDRÉ - Benedictine monk, b. at La Tessoualle (Maine-et-Loire) on 6 June 1849, d. at Solesmes on 18 Jan. 1930. Professed as a… -
Modes (MODI)
MODES. - The word m. in music is used both in rhythmics and in harmony. 1) In the rhythmic sense it refers, in the music of the 12th and… -
Modulation (MODULAZIONE)
MODULATION. - This term substantially indicates the passage from one key to another. The means by which such a passage can be effected are… -
Monochord (MONOCORDO)
MONOCHORD. - The monochord was for music the instrument that had the most varied applications: at first an experimental instrument for… -
Monody (MONODIA)
MONODY. - From the Greek μόνος = alone and ὠδή = song, today every form of singing, choral or soloistic, ancient or modern, with or without… -
Monte, Philippe De
MONTE, PHILIPPE de. - Flemish polyphonist, b. at Mechelen in 1521 and d. at Prague in the summer of 1603. He was first in Naples, Rome,… -
Monteverdi, Claudio
MONTEVERDI, CLAUDIO. - Musician, b. at Cremona on 15 May 1567, d. at Venice on 29 Nov. 1643. Early testimonies were the Sacrae cantincula… -
Morales, Christobal de
MORALES, CHRISTOBAL de. - Musician, b. in Seville on 2 Jan. 1512, d. in Toledo in 1553. He did his studies in his native city, and… -
Morlacchi, Francesco
MORLACCHI, FRANCESCO. - Musician, b. in Perugia on 14 June 1784, d. in Innsbruck on 28 Oct. 1841. He studied in his native city, then… -
Motet (MOTTETTO)
MOTET. - In its first meaning the term m. (motetus, moctetus) designates the vocal part superimposed on the tenor in medieval polyphony. It… -
Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
MOZART, WOLFGANG AMADEUS. - Musician, b. in Salzburg on 27 Jan. 1756, d. in Vienna on 5 Dec. 1791. Of absolutely exceptional precocity, he… -
Muris, Johannes de
MURIS, JOHANNES de. - Astronomer, mathematician, philosopher and music theorist, b. in Normandy before 1300 and d. in 1351. He was at the… -
Music (MUSICA)
MUSIC. - The philosophical concept of music, which among the ancients had a predominantly ethical character and among the moderns falls… -
Musical Confraternities (CONFRATERNITE MUSICALI)
MUSICAL CONFRATERNITIES. - Associations of music lovers and professionals (masters, singers, organists and organ builders, players and… -
Musical Instruments (STRUMENTI MUSICALI)
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. - I. IN THE OLD TESTAMENT. Among the Hebrews music was practiced principally in religious manifestations by the… -
Musical Paleography (PALEOGRAFIA MUSICALE)
MUSICAL PALEOGRAPHY. - It is the science of ancient notations, of the systems used to translate music into the visual field. In the… -
Mustafà, Domenico
MUSTAFÀ, DOMENICO. - Musician, b. at Sellano (Foligno) on 16 April 1829, d. at Montefalco on 14 March 1912. Gifted with a beautiful soprano… -
Nanino, Giovanni Maria
NANINO, GIOVANNI MARIA. - Musician, b. at Tivoli in 1545, d. at Rome on 12 March 1607. He was buried in S. Luigi dei Francesi. He studied… -
Obrecht (Hobrecht), Jacob
OBRECHT (HOBRECHT), JACOB. - Flemish musician, b. at Utrecht around 1430, d. at Mantua in 1505. He was first a singer at the court of… -
Ocheti (OCHETUS)
OCHETI. - Among the various genres of musical composition that arose in the Middle Ages, the O. is a particular technique, later elevated…