Antonius Romanus
Encyclopedia
Antonius Romanus was an Italian
composer of the early 15th century, the early quattrocento
, in which musical styles was in transition between the late medieval
era and early Renaissance
.
Few details are known about his life. Judging from his name, he may have been from Rome, and there are several records of his activity as a singer at St. Mark's in Venice
between 1420 and 1432. His music appears to have been strongly influenced by Johannes Ciconia
, who died in 1412, and it also seems to have been an influence on the young Guillaume Dufay
, who was in Italy
during most of Antonius's later period of known activity.
Six sacred compositions and one secular piece by Antonius have survived. The three mass
movements, two Glorias and a Credo, all for four voices, are influenced by Ciconia; the three motet
s, also for four voices, are isorhythm
ic. All three can be approximately dated. The first, Ducalis sedes/Stirps Mocenigo, can be dated to 1414 or 1415, since it is written in praise of Tommaso Mocenigo
, who was elected doge of Venice
in 1414. The second, Carminibus festos/O requies populi, was written for the doge Francesco Foscari
, who assumed the post in 1423. The last, Aurea flammigera, he most likely wrote in praise of Gianfrancesco Gonzaga on his triumphant return from Milan
in 1432. Antonius's single remaining secular composition is a ballata
, Deh s'i t'amo con fede; only one voice survives from this composition, and it is without text.
The similarities of style of some of Antonius's music to Dufay's earliest works suggest that the two may have crossed paths, or at least known each other's works.
Music of Italy
The music of Italy ranges across a broad spectrum of opera and instrumental classical music and a body of popular music drawn from both native and imported sources. Music has traditionally been one of the cultural markers of Italian national and ethnic identity and holds an important position in...
composer of the early 15th century, the early quattrocento
Quattrocento
The cultural and artistic events of 15th century Italy are collectively referred to as the Quattrocento...
, in which musical styles was in transition between the late medieval
Medieval music
Medieval music is Western music written during the Middle Ages. This era begins with the fall of the Roman Empire and ends sometime in the early fifteenth century...
era and early 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...
.
Few details are known about his life. Judging from his name, he may have been from Rome, and there are several records of his activity as a singer at St. Mark's in Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
between 1420 and 1432. His music appears to have been strongly influenced by Johannes Ciconia
Johannes Ciconia
Johannes Ciconia was a late medieval composer and music theorist who worked most of his adult life in Italy, particularly in the service of the Papal Chapels and at the cathedral of Padua....
, who died in 1412, and it also seems to have been an influence on the young Guillaume Dufay
Guillaume Dufay
Guillaume Dufay was a Franco-Flemish composer of the early Renaissance. As the central figure in the Burgundian School, he was the most famous and influential composer in Europe in the mid-15th century.-Early life:From the evidence of his will, he was probably born in Beersel, in the vicinity of...
, who was in Italy
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...
during most of Antonius's later period of known activity.
Six sacred compositions and one secular piece by Antonius have survived. The three mass
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...
movements, two Glorias and a Credo, all for four voices, are influenced by Ciconia; the three motet
Motet
In classical music, motet is a word that is applied to a number of highly varied choral musical compositions.-Etymology:The name comes either from the Latin movere, or a Latinized version of Old French mot, "word" or "verbal utterance." The Medieval Latin for "motet" is motectum, and the Italian...
s, also for four voices, are isorhythm
Isorhythm
Isorhythm is a musical technique that arranges a fixed pattern of pitches with a repeating rhythmic pattern.-Detail:...
ic. All three can be approximately dated. The first, Ducalis sedes/Stirps Mocenigo, can be dated to 1414 or 1415, since it is written in praise of Tommaso Mocenigo
Tommaso Mocenigo
Tommaso Mocenigo was doge of Venice from 1414 until his death.-Biography:He commanded the crusading fleet in the expedition to Nicopolis in 1396 and also won battles against the Genoese during the War of Chioggia of 1378-1381....
, who was elected doge of Venice
Doge of Venice
The Doge of Venice , often mistranslated Duke was the chief magistrate and leader of the Most Serene Republic of Venice for over a thousand years. Doges of Venice were elected for life by the city-state's aristocracy. Commonly the person selected as Doge was the shrewdest elder in the city...
in 1414. The second, Carminibus festos/O requies populi, was written for the doge Francesco Foscari
Francesco Foscari
Francesco Foscari was doge of Venice from 1423 to 1457, at the inception of the Italian Renaissance.-Biography:Foscari, of an ancient noble family, served the Republic of Venice in numerous official capacities—as ambassador, president of the Forty, member of the Council of Ten, inquisitor,...
, who assumed the post in 1423. The last, Aurea flammigera, he most likely wrote in praise of Gianfrancesco Gonzaga on his triumphant return from 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 ,...
in 1432. Antonius's single remaining secular composition is a ballata
Ballata
The ballata is an Italian poetic and musical form, which was in use from the late 13th to the 15th century. It has the musical structure AbbaA, with the first and last stanzas having the same texts. It is thus most similar to the French musical 'forme fixe' virelai...
, Deh s'i t'amo con fede; only one voice survives from this composition, and it is without text.
The similarities of style of some of Antonius's music to Dufay's earliest works suggest that the two may have crossed paths, or at least known each other's works.