HMR Project: History of Music & Modern Recording

Luzzasco Luzzaschi & the Madrigal

Italian harpsichord c 1590

Italian Harpsichord c 1590

Built in Pisa or Florence during Luzzaschi's latter career

Born in 1545 in Ferrara, Italy, Luzzasco Luzzaschi was a pupil of Cipriano de Rore to become highly regarded for his madrigals. In 1564 he was appointed organist to the House of Este, though he would have reasons to become acquainted with harpsichord as well. Employment by Alfonso II, Duke of Ferrara, found him uniquely working with the Concerto delle donne, a female ensemble formed by the Duke which duty it was to perform for exclusive audiences. Though employed to sing they were usually hired as ladies-in-waiting. However expense accounts were kept, in addition to the madrigal Luzzaschi's music was highly oriented toward feminine voice, and arrives to present times with the same emphasis in general, such that "singing women" is nigh an umbrella term for Luzzaschi.

What survives of Luzzaschi's canon is seven books of madrigals published between 1571 ('Il primo libro de madrigali a cinque voci') and 1604, a collection of motets and four volumes for keyboard. He also authored three lost books of ricercars. This presentation consists of several works published in his latter career. 'Lungi da te cor mio' saw ink in 'Quinto Libro de' Madrigali a 5 voci' in 1595 with text written by Luzzaschi.

'Lungi da te cor mio' Madrigal by Luzzasco Luzzaschi

'Away From You, My Heart' Setting to poem by Luzzaschi

Pub in 'Quinto Libro de' Madrigali a 5 voci' in Ferrara 1595

La Venexiana directed by Claudio Cavina 2020

In 1597 'Il Transilvano dialogo sopra il vero modo di sonar organi, & istromenti da penna' was published by Giacomo Vincenti in Venice. The majority of 'Il Transilvano' ('The Transylvanian'') consists mostly of works by Girolamo Diruta, but includes pieces by various others including Luzzaschi's 'Toccata del quarto tuono'. "Istromenti da penna" refers to quilled instruments, so Luzzaschi's toccata was written for either organ or harpsichord (clavichord), the latter which strings were plucked by bird quills until plastic plectra (picks) arrived in the 20th century. The earliest reference to a harpsichord is 1397, built by Hermann Poll. The instrument is represented in a carving of 1425 at a German church in Minden, being played by an angel. The oldest surviving harpsichord which yet functions is from Luzzaschi's century, built in 1521 in Italy, though one that is unplayable may be older that is housed at The Royal College of Music in London. Luzzaschi was born about the time that the harpsichord was perfected to the point that every royal household preferred one installed to not. "Keyboard" in sacred Church music meant, of course, the organ, but in secular music it usually referred to harpsichord or some version thereat. Music for harpsichord would, of course, be the music of aristocrats. Odds are that your family, traced back, didn't have one. I further doubt that they whistled while they labored unless they drove herds or wagons. Were they servants to a noble household they might have heard 'Toccata del quarto tuono' played on harpsichord on some occasion, that more likely, though not impossible, than on organ as below.

'Toccata del quarto tuono' Toccata by Luzzasco Luzzaschi

Pub in 'Il Transilvano dialogo sopra il vero modo di sonar organi & istromenti da penna' 1597

Organ: Lorenzo Antinori La Basilica Palatina di Santa Barbara a Mantova 1 Nov 2014

In 1601 Luzzaschi published twelve madrigals in 'Madrigali per cantare e sonare a uno e doi e tre soprani' with the texts to seven of them written by Giovanni Battista Guarini. Those were composed for one, two and three sopranos accompanied by continuo (which can also be basso continuo) which could be supplied by any of various instruments including harpsichord, though the lute or viol more widely available to musicians were probably more common choices. Keeping rhythm by means of continuo was a recent development and would play a major role in baroque at which rushing tide one arrives as the 17th century dawns.