[Some Forerunners of Italian Opera by William James Henderson]@TWC D-Link book
Some Forerunners of Italian Opera

CHAPTER XI
10/17

It was composed of mythologic episodes spectacularly treated.

The verse was by Giovanni Rucellai, the distinguished author of "Rosamunda" and the "Api," and the music by Pietro Strozzi.

One of the singers was a certain young Giulio Caccini, who lived to be famous.
Torquato Tasso's pastoral play "Aminta" (1573) had choruses though we cannot say who composed the music.

It is known that Luzzasco Luzzaschi, pupil of Cyprian di Rore, master of Frescobaldi, and composer of madrigals and organ toccatas, wrote the chorals in madrigal style for Guarini's famous "Pastor Fido." There were choruses to separate the acts and two introduced in the action.

These two, which had a kind of refrain, were the chorus of hunters in Act IV, scene sixth, and the chorus of priests and shepherds in Act V, scene third.


<<Back  Index  Next>>

D-Link book Top

TWC mobile books