Bartolomeo Barbarino
Encyclopedia
Bartolomeo Barbarino (c. 1568 – c. 1617 or later) was an Italian
composer and singer of the early Baroque
era. He was a virtuoso falsettist
, and one of the most enthusiastic composers of the new style of monody
.
at Santa Casa. Until 1602 he was in Urbino
, where he served both Monsignor Giuliano della Rovere and the Duke of Urbino. From 1602 to 1605 he worked as organist at Pesaro
Cathedral, and afterwards worked in Padua
for the Bishop of Padua. In 1608 he went to Venice
to take part in the Festival of San Rocco. Evidently his fame as a singer was widespread at this time, as he was one of the most distinguished visitors.
An English visitor to Venice, Thomas Coryat
, left this description of his singing (Coryats Crudities, London, 1611):
In the preface to one of his books of motets, Barbarino wrote that he would sing his works to the accompaniment of the chitarrone, "for my voice is hoarse and frail."
, and harpsichord
. His last collection of works, a book of madrigals dated to 1617, is for three voices, but also accompanied by basso continuo.
Barbarino published two books of motet
s, both in Venice, as well as thirteen separate sacred pieces; additionally he published five books of madrigal
s and one book of canzonette
, for a total of over 150 pieces. He often published two separate versions of the solo voice part for each work: one heavily ornamented and extremely difficult to sing (most likely he sang this version himself); and a simplified version intended for a less accomplished singer.
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 and singer of the early Baroque
Baroque music
Baroque music describes a style of Western Classical music approximately extending from 1600 to 1760. This era follows the Renaissance and was followed in turn by the Classical era...
era. He was a virtuoso falsettist
Falsetto
Falsetto is the vocal register occupying the frequency range just above the modal voice register and overlapping with it by approximately one octave. It is produced by the vibration of the ligamentous edges of the vocal folds, in whole or in part...
, and one of the most enthusiastic composers of the new style of monody
Monody
In poetry, the term monody has become specialized to refer to a poem in which one person laments another's death....
.
Life
Nothing is known about his early life; his birthdate is inferred from the description by an English visitor in 1608 who described him as being "about forty." The first record concerning him is from 1593, when he was employed as an alto in LoretoLoreto (AN)
Loreto is a hilltown and comune of the Italian province of Ancona, in the Marche. It is mostly famous as the seat of the Basilica della Santa Casa, a popular Catholic pilgrimage site.-Location:...
at Santa Casa. Until 1602 he was in Urbino
Urbino
Urbino is a walled city in the Marche region of Italy, south-west of Pesaro, a World Heritage Site notable for a remarkable historical legacy of independent Renaissance culture, especially under the patronage of Federico da Montefeltro, duke of Urbino from 1444 to 1482...
, where he served both Monsignor Giuliano della Rovere and the Duke of Urbino. From 1602 to 1605 he worked as organist at Pesaro
Pesaro
Pesaro is a town and comune in the Italian region of the Marche, capital of the Pesaro e Urbino province, on the Adriatic. According to the 2007 census, its population was 92,206....
Cathedral, and afterwards worked in Padua
Padua
Padua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 . The city is sometimes included, with Venice and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, having...
for the Bishop of Padua. In 1608 he went to 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...
to take part in the Festival of San Rocco. Evidently his fame as a singer was widespread at this time, as he was one of the most distinguished visitors.
An English visitor to Venice, Thomas Coryat
Thomas Coryat
Thomas Coryat was an English traveller and writer of the late Elizabethan and early Jacobean age. He is principally remembered for two volumes of writings he left regarding his travels, often on foot, through Europe and parts of Asia...
, left this description of his singing (Coryats Crudities, London, 1611):
- "Of the singers there were three or foure so excellent that I thinke few or none in Christendome do exell them, especially one, who had such a peerelesse and ... supernaturall voice for sweetnesse, that I thinke there was never a better singer in the world ... I alwaies thought that he was an EunuchEunuchA eunuch is a person born male most commonly castrated, typically early enough in his life for this change to have major hormonal consequences...
, which if he had beene, it had taken away some part of my admiration, because they do most commonly sing passing wel; but he was not, therefore it was much the more admirable."
In the preface to one of his books of motets, Barbarino wrote that he would sing his works to the accompaniment of the chitarrone, "for my voice is hoarse and frail."
Works
Almost all of Barbarino's music is in the monodic style, using a single virtuoso solo voice part accompanied by basso continuo. Unusually for the time, he often indicated the instruments which were best to use as accompaniment, including chitarrone, theorboTheorbo
A theorbo is a plucked string instrument. As a name, theorbo signifies a number of long-necked lutes with second pegboxes, such as the liuto attiorbato, the French théorbe des pièces, the English theorbo, the archlute, the German baroque lute, the angélique or angelica. The etymology of the name...
, and harpsichord
Harpsichord
A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
. His last collection of works, a book of madrigals dated to 1617, is for three voices, but also accompanied by basso continuo.
Barbarino published two books of 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, both in Venice, as well as thirteen separate sacred pieces; additionally he published five books of madrigal
Madrigal (music)
A madrigal is a secular vocal music composition, usually a partsong, of the Renaissance and early Baroque eras. Traditionally, polyphonic madrigals are unaccompanied; the number of voices varies from two to eight, and most frequently from three to six....
s and one book of canzonette
Canzonetta
In music, a canzonetta was a popular Italian secular vocal composition which originated around 1560...
, for a total of over 150 pieces. He often published two separate versions of the solo voice part for each work: one heavily ornamented and extremely difficult to sing (most likely he sang this version himself); and a simplified version intended for a less accomplished singer.
Sources
- Article "Bartolomeo Barbarino," in The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, ed. Stanley Sadie. 20 vol. London, Macmillan Publishers Ltd., 1980. ISBN 1-56159-174-2
- CD notes for disk Music for San Rocco, by Paul McCreesh (Gabrieli Consort and Players, directed by Paul McCreesh)
Recordings
- Music for San Rocco (Gabrieli Consort and Players, directed by Paul McCreesh). Archiv: Deutsche Grammophon GmbH, Hamburg, 1996. (Mostly contains music by Giovanni GabrieliGiovanni GabrieliGiovanni Gabrieli was an Italian composer and organist. He was one of the most influential musicians of his time, and represents the culmination of the style of the Venetian School, at the time of the shift from Renaissance to Baroque idioms.-Biography:Gabrieli was born in Venice...
, although it includes two monodies by Barbarino)