Rinaldo del Mel
Encyclopedia
Rinaldo del Mel (probably 1554 – ) was a Franco-Flemish
composer of the Renaissance
, mainly active in Italy
, and a member of the Roman School
of composition. He likely studied with Palestrina
, and was a skilled and prolific composer, especially of cyclic madrigal
s of the type popular in Rome
.
to an aristocratic family closely connected to the Duchy of Lorraine; his father was in charge of the financial management of the Duke's estate. In 1562, at the probable age of eight, he began study at the Cathedral of St. Rombaut, with Séverin Cornet
being his principal teacher. In 1572, after finishing his schooling, he was sent to Lisbon by his family, where he may have served as maestro di cappella at the court (according to Giuseppe Baini
, the 19th century writer on music, who was not always a reliable source). By 1580 he was in Rome, possibly studying with Palestrina. Records indicate he was at Chieti
in 1583, and in January 1584 in Venice
; in July of that year he accepted a position as maestro di cappella at Rieti
Cathedral, but was dismissed shortly thereafter for being too often absent from his duties.
Between 1585 and 1591 Mel traveled widely, returning to Flanders, including Liège
and Antwerp. He served briefly as maestro di cappella for the Duke of Bavaria, then in Liège, for at least a few months beginning in July 1587. He visited Venice, Rome, Magliano Capo di Sabina, and Aquila during the years 1585 to 1591 as well. Between 1591 and 1597 he was music director at the cathedral and seminary in Magliano
Capo di Sabina. He disappears from the record after 1597, but a book of newly composed chansons by him, published in Antwerp that year, has suggested that he may have again returned to the land of his birth.
s and madrigals, as well as some forms that blended elements of the sacred and secular, such as a collection of "spiritual canzonets". His style shows the craftsmanship of an exceptional Netherlandish musical training, as well as the influence of Palestrina, who was probably his teacher, as claimed by Baini. Mel's sacred music, as would be expected of a composer of the Roman School, is more conservative stylistically than his secular music. Since his music is yet to appear in a modern edition it has not been fully evaluated by scholars.
Mel wrote several sets of cyclic madrigals, i.e. sets of madrigals which set successive stanzas of a long poem (Monteverdi's Sestina: Lagrime d'Amante al Sepolcro dell'Amata is probably the most famous example of a cyclic madrigal set). Setting cyclic madrigals was a hallmark of Roman School composers. Mel's settings show some progressive tendencies, such as an increasing melodic emphasis on the uppermost part, a feature which foreshadowed the polarization of soprano and bass parts that was a feature of the Baroque
style several decades later. In addition, in his secular music he often employs harmonic progressions with root motions in fifths, another feature of the Baroque style to follow.
Another stylistic aspect of his madrigals is the prominent use of textural contrast, with chordal, syllabic passages alternating with passages in running thirds or sixths, or brief imitative
sections. Long sections of purely contrapuntal
writing are absent from his secular music, although, as in Palestrina, smooth counterpoint is the primary textural language of his sacred music.
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...
composer of the 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...
, mainly active 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...
, and a member of the Roman School
Roman School
In music history, the Roman School was a group of composers of predominantly church music, in Rome, during the 16th and 17th centuries, therefore spanning the late Renaissance and early Baroque eras. The term also refers to the music they produced...
of composition. He likely studied with Palestrina
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina was an Italian Renaissance composer of sacred music and the best-known 16th-century representative of the Roman School of musical composition...
, and was a skilled and prolific composer, especially of cyclic 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 of the type popular 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...
.
Life
Mel was born in MechelenMechelen
Mechelen Footnote: Mechelen became known in English as 'Mechlin' from which the adjective 'Mechlinian' is derived...
to an aristocratic family closely connected to the Duchy of Lorraine; his father was in charge of the financial management of the Duke's estate. In 1562, at the probable age of eight, he began study at the Cathedral of St. Rombaut, with Séverin Cornet
Severin Cornet
Severin Cornet was a Franco-Flemish singer, conductor and composer. He was born about 1530 in Valenciennes and studied music in Naples. After completing his education, he served for a while at Mechlin, took a position as singer in Antwerp, and later a position as music director for the Archduke in...
being his principal teacher. In 1572, after finishing his schooling, he was sent to Lisbon by his family, where he may have served as maestro di cappella at the court (according to Giuseppe Baini
Giuseppe Baini
Giuseppe Baini was an Italian priest, music critic, and composer of church music.He was born at Rome. He was instructed in composition by his uncle, Lorenzo Baini, and afterwards by G. Jannaconi...
, the 19th century writer on music, who was not always a reliable source). By 1580 he was in Rome, possibly studying with Palestrina. Records indicate he was at Chieti
Chieti
Chieti is a city and comune in Central Italy, 200 km northeast of Rome. It is the capital of the Province of Chieti in the Abruzzo region...
in 1583, and in January 1584 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...
; in July of that year he accepted a position as maestro di cappella at Rieti
Rieti
Rieti is a city and comune in Lazio, central Italy, with a population of c. 47,700. It is the capital of province of Rieti.The town centre rests on a small hilltop, commanding a wide plain at the southern edge of an ancient lake. The area is now the fertile basin of the Velino River...
Cathedral, but was dismissed shortly thereafter for being too often absent from his duties.
Between 1585 and 1591 Mel traveled widely, returning to Flanders, including Liège
Liège
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....
and Antwerp. He served briefly as maestro di cappella for the Duke of Bavaria, then in Liège, for at least a few months beginning in July 1587. He visited Venice, Rome, Magliano Capo di Sabina, and Aquila during the years 1585 to 1591 as well. Between 1591 and 1597 he was music director at the cathedral and seminary in Magliano
Magliano
-Municipalities :*Magliano Alfieri, in the province of Cuneo*Magliano Alpi, in the province of Cuneo*Magliano de' Marsi, in the province of Aquila*Magliano di Tenna, in the province of Ascoli Piceno*Magliano in Toscana, in the province of Grosseto...
Capo di Sabina. He disappears from the record after 1597, but a book of newly composed chansons by him, published in Antwerp that year, has suggested that he may have again returned to the land of his birth.
Music
All of Rinaldo del Mel's surviving music is vocal, and it is both sacred and secular. He was a prolific composer, and wrote both motetMotet
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 and madrigals, as well as some forms that blended elements of the sacred and secular, such as a collection of "spiritual canzonets". His style shows the craftsmanship of an exceptional Netherlandish musical training, as well as the influence of Palestrina, who was probably his teacher, as claimed by Baini. Mel's sacred music, as would be expected of a composer of the Roman School, is more conservative stylistically than his secular music. Since his music is yet to appear in a modern edition it has not been fully evaluated by scholars.
Mel wrote several sets of cyclic madrigals, i.e. sets of madrigals which set successive stanzas of a long poem (Monteverdi's Sestina: Lagrime d'Amante al Sepolcro dell'Amata is probably the most famous example of a cyclic madrigal set). Setting cyclic madrigals was a hallmark of Roman School composers. Mel's settings show some progressive tendencies, such as an increasing melodic emphasis on the uppermost part, a feature which foreshadowed the polarization of soprano and bass parts that was a feature of the 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...
style several decades later. In addition, in his secular music he often employs harmonic progressions with root motions in fifths, another feature of the Baroque style to follow.
Another stylistic aspect of his madrigals is the prominent use of textural contrast, with chordal, syllabic passages alternating with passages in running thirds or sixths, or brief imitative
Imitation (music)
In music, imitation is when a melody in a polyphonic texture is repeated shortly after its first appearance in a different voice, usually at a different pitch. The melody may vary through transposition, inversion, or otherwise, but retain its original character...
sections. Long sections of purely contrapuntal
Counterpoint
In music, counterpoint is the relationship between two or more voices that are independent in contour and rhythm and are harmonically interdependent . It has been most commonly identified in classical music, developing strongly during the Renaissance and in much of the common practice period,...
writing are absent from his secular music, although, as in Palestrina, smooth counterpoint is the primary textural language of his sacred music.