What place can better express the soul of Venice than the Basilica of San Marco? Nowadays, it still resounds with echoes of past centuries, carrying the same magic and mystery. Its unique architecture gave birth to Venetian polychoral music: composers, aware of the sound shifts caused by the spacing of choirs in different galleries, ingeniously integrated this effect into their works. The resulting stereophonic effect was truly spectacular.
Among these daring composers, the name of the Gabrieli family stands out. Andrea, the uncle, composed over 400 works, mainly vocal sacred music: motets, frequently utilizing two or more choirs, with voices sometimes replaced by instruments.
The peak of Venetian polychorality occurred between the late 1580s and the 1590s when Giovanni Gabrieli, the nephew of Andrea, worked as the organist and principal composer of San Marco. He was the first to provide precise indications of the instruments to be used (including large brass ensembles) and specify nuances in the scores, as well as to develop sumptuous echo effects.
The fame of the music produced in San Marco attracted many composers who then spread these musical innovations throughout Europe. After 1603, the basso continuo made its appearance in the musical practices of San Marco, in addition to the orchestra, soloists, and choirs.
Among the instrumentalists who made these compositions famous and brought renown to Venice was the cornetto player Giovanni Bassano, for whom Andrea Gabrieli composed cornet parts requiring impressive performance technique. Bassano directed several groups of piffari (wind instrument ensembles) in Venice.
At the beginning of the 17th century, musical production in San Marco declined until the arrival of a new maestro di cappella in 1612: Claudio Monteverdi, the author of Vespers, which opened a new and original musical path. The Vespers constitute an abundant and fascinating work, combining prayer and virtuosity, ranging from the intimate to the monumental – the creations of a man who worked for both church and theater. Deeply modern, it exhibits supreme composition skills, particularly through the use of an echo, typical of the Baroque era, which cherishes illusion and wordplay.
PROGRAM
Giovanni Gabrieli. O magnum mysterium
Andrea Gabrieli. Angeli, archangeli
Giovanni Gabrieli. Maria Virgo
Cipriano de Rore/Rodrigo Calveyra by Silvestro Ganassi. Ancor che col partire
Andrea Gabrieli. Deus, Deus Meus
Claudio Monteverdi. Nigra sum
Giovanni Croce. Buccinate in Neomenia Tuba
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina/ Giovanni Bassano. Benedicta sit sancta Trinitas
Caterina Assandra. Duo Seraphim
Andrea Gabrieli. Ricercar Arioso
Giovanni Croce. Cantate Domino
Giovanni Gabrieli. Benedicam Dominum
Claudio Monteverdi. Venite sitientes ad aqua
Claudio Monteverdi. Audi cœlum
