Hubert Naich
Encyclopedia
Hubert Naich (c. 1513 – c. 1546) was a composer of the Renaissance
, probably of Flemish
origin, principally active in Rome
. He was mainly a composer of madrigal
s, some in the note nere
style.
, although the details of his early life are uncertain, since several musicians bearing the name "Naich" were active at the church of St. Martin during the time he would have been growing up.
Details of his life for the period in which he was in Rome are equally uncertain. It is known that he was active as a composer of madrigals from approximately 1540 to 1546, during which time he almost certainly knew the renowned madrigal composer Jacques Arcadelt
, then singing in the Sistine Chapel
choir, since they were both members of an "academy of friends" gathered around a Florentine
banker who was resident in Rome (Arcadelt's membership in the group is uncertain, but considered probable). One of Arcadelt's Venetian publications, his Il quinto libro di madrigali (Fifth Book of Madrigals) (1544), includes six pieces by Naich, further indicating a connection between the two.
A painting entitled "The Three Ages of Man" (now lost), possibly by Sebastiano del Piombo
, was believed to have shown a likeness of Naich, as the eldest of the three figures in the painting.
. Forty-five compositions are known, including 30 in a volume of madrigals he published in Rome in 1540 (Exercitium seraficum, all for from four to six voices). He also published 12 madrigals in other collections, such as the one with Arcadelt. The other three compositions are a chanson in French, and two motets, evidently his only sacred compositions to survive.
Some of his madrigals are in the note nere
(black note) style. This style of composition, which began with the work of Costanzo Festa
around 1540, used shorter note values than were previously used in madrigal composition (hence "filled in" note-heads, i.e. black notes) and quick syllabic declamation, often with syncopation. These Italian "patter-songs
" had a burst of popularity in the 1540s, mainly in Venice and the surrounding cities, but Naich's compositions show that they were known and written in Rome as well. Naich's madrigals in this style usually begin with passages in longer note values, only gradually progressing into the quick "note nere" style. As such, they were part of an increasing trend in the 1540s among madrigal composers, who were seeking greater expressiveness by exploiting rhythmic and tonal contrast.
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...
, probably of Flemish
Franco-Flemish School
In music, the Franco-Flemish School or more precisely the Netherlandish School refers, somewhat imprecisely, to the style of polyphonic vocal music composition in Europe in the 15th and 16th centuries, and to the composers who wrote it...
origin, principally active in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. He was mainly a composer 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, some in the note nere
Note nere
Note nere was a style of madrigal composition, which used shorter note values than usual and had more black note-heads.The style was introduced around 1540, and had a short vogue among composers publishing in Venice including Costanzo Festa, Giaches de Wert, Cipriano di Rore and many minor...
style.
Life
He was probably from LiègeLiège
Liège is a major city and municipality of Belgium located in the province of Liège, of which it is the economic capital, in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium....
, although the details of his early life are uncertain, since several musicians bearing the name "Naich" were active at the church of St. Martin during the time he would have been growing up.
Details of his life for the period in which he was in Rome are equally uncertain. It is known that he was active as a composer of madrigals from approximately 1540 to 1546, during which time he almost certainly knew the renowned madrigal composer Jacques Arcadelt
Jacques Arcadelt
Jacques Arcadelt was a Franco-Flemish composer of the Renaissance, active in both Italy and France, and principally known as a composer of secular vocal music...
, then singing in the Sistine Chapel
Sistine Chapel
Sistine Chapel is the best-known chapel in the Apostolic Palace, the official residence of the Pope in Vatican City. It is famous for its architecture and its decoration that was frescoed throughout by Renaissance artists including Michelangelo, Sandro Botticelli, Pietro Perugino, Pinturicchio...
choir, since they were both members of an "academy of friends" gathered around a Florentine
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
banker who was resident in Rome (Arcadelt's membership in the group is uncertain, but considered probable). One of Arcadelt's Venetian publications, his Il quinto libro di madrigali (Fifth Book of Madrigals) (1544), includes six pieces by Naich, further indicating a connection between the two.
A painting entitled "The Three Ages of Man" (now lost), possibly by Sebastiano del Piombo
Sebastiano del Piombo
Sebastiano del Piombo , byname of Sebastiano Luciani, was an Italian Renaissance-Mannerist painter of the early 16th century famous for his combination of the colors of the Venetian school and the monumental forms of the Roman school.- Biography :Sebastiano del Piombo belongs to the painting school...
, was believed to have shown a likeness of Naich, as the eldest of the three figures in the painting.
Music
All of Naich's known music is for voices, and almost all of it is secular. His entire surviving output has been published in volume 94 of Corpus mensurabilis musicaeCorpus mensurabilis musicae
The Corpus mensurabilis musicae is a collected print edition of most of the sacred and secular vocal music of the late medieval and Renaissance period in western music history, with an emphasis on the central Franco-Flemish and Italian repertories...
. Forty-five compositions are known, including 30 in a volume of madrigals he published in Rome in 1540 (Exercitium seraficum, all for from four to six voices). He also published 12 madrigals in other collections, such as the one with Arcadelt. The other three compositions are a chanson in French, and two motets, evidently his only sacred compositions to survive.
Some of his madrigals are in the note nere
Note nere
Note nere was a style of madrigal composition, which used shorter note values than usual and had more black note-heads.The style was introduced around 1540, and had a short vogue among composers publishing in Venice including Costanzo Festa, Giaches de Wert, Cipriano di Rore and many minor...
(black note) style. This style of composition, which began with the work of Costanzo Festa
Costanzo Festa
Costanzo Festa was an Italian composer of the Renaissance. While he is best known for his madrigals, he also wrote sacred vocal music...
around 1540, used shorter note values than were previously used in madrigal composition (hence "filled in" note-heads, i.e. black notes) and quick syllabic declamation, often with syncopation. These Italian "patter-songs
Patter song
The patter song is characterized by a moderately fast to very fast tempo with a rapid succession of rhythmic patterns in which each syllable of text corresponds to one note...
" had a burst of popularity in the 1540s, mainly in Venice and the surrounding cities, but Naich's compositions show that they were known and written in Rome as well. Naich's madrigals in this style usually begin with passages in longer note values, only gradually progressing into the quick "note nere" style. As such, they were part of an increasing trend in the 1540s among madrigal composers, who were seeking greater expressiveness by exploiting rhythmic and tonal contrast.