The Venetian School of Music

The Venetian School of Music, describes both the composers working in Venice from about 1550 to around 1610 and the music they produced. The Venetian “polychoral” compositions of the late 16th century, involved spatially separate choirs singing predominantly in alternation and were among the most famous musical events in Europe. Their influence on musical practice in other countries, was enormous.

Also, the term “Venetian School” is sometimes used, to distinguish it from the contemporary and usually more musically conservative, “Roman School”. Other important centres of musical activity in Italy at the same time included: Florence (the birthplace of opera), Ferrara, Naples, Padua, Mantua and Milan.

The innovations introduced by the Venetian School of Music, along with the contemporary development of monody (music consisting of a single vocal part usually with accompaniment) and opera in Florence; together define the end of the musical Renaissance and the beginning of the musical Baroque.

Please read in conjunction with my comprehensive and fully illustrated post on St Mark’s Basilica.

St Mark’s Basilica: two lateral choir lofts.

The Venetian School of Music – Development

The first was political. After the death of Pope Leo X in 1521 and the sack of Rome in 1527; the musical establishment in Rome, long dominant in European culture, was eclipsed. Many musicians chose not to go to Rome, or moved elsewhere. Fortunately, Venice was one of several places, having an environment conducive to creativity.

Another factor and possibly the most important, was the existence of the splendid St. Mark’s Basilica; with its unique interior with two opposing choir lofts, each with its own organ. Because of the spacious architecture of this basilica, it was difficult to get widely separated choirs to sing the same music simultaneously, (especially before modern techniques of conducting were developed). It was necessary to develop a musical style which exploited the sound-delay to advantage, rather than fought against it. It also allowed each group, to be heard equally well.

Thus the Venetian polychoral style was developed – a grand antiphonal style, in which groups of singers and instruments played in opposition (alternation) and sometimes together; united by the sound of the organ. A commonly encountered term for the separated choirs, is “cori spezzati”

The first composer to make this effect famous was Adrian Willaert (photo left c. 1490 – 7 December 1562). He was a Flemish composer of the Renaissance period, who became maestro di cappella of St. Mark’s in 1527 and remained in the position until his death in 1562. His influence was profound, not only as a composer but as a teacher; since most of the Venetians who followed, studied with him. Gioseffo Zarlino, one of the most influential writers on music of this age; called Willaert,”the new Pythagoras“.

The stereo and echo effects became very popular and soon other composers were imitating the idea; not only in St. Mark’s, but in other large cathedrals in Italy. This was a rare but interesting case of the architectural peculiarities of a single building, influencing the development of a style, which not only became popular all over Europe; but in part defined the shift, from the Renaissance to the Baroque era.

Yet another factor was the development of printing, which promoted the rich period of musical creativity. In the early 16th century, Venice was prosperous and stable and had become an important centre of music publishing. Composers came from all parts of Europe to benefit from the new technology; which was only a few decades old. Composers from northern Europe, especially Flanders and France, were already renowned as the most skilled composers in Europe and many came to Venice. The international flavour of musical society in the city, was to linger into the 17th century.

In the 1560’s, two distinct groups developed within the Venetian school: a progressive group, led by Baldassare Donato and a conservative group, led by Zarlino; who was at the time “maestro di cappella”. Friction between the two groups came to a head in 1569, with a dramatic and public fight between the two, during the Feast of St. Mark. Members of the conservative branch tended to follow the style of Franco-Flemish polyphony, and included Cipriano de Rore, Zarlino, and Claudio Merulo. Those of the progressive group included Donato, Giovanni Croce and later Andrea and Giovanni Gabrieli.

An additional point of contention between the two groups was whether or not Venetians (or at least Italians); should be given the top job of “maestro di cappella” at St. Mark’s. Eventually the group favouring local talent prevailed, ending the dominance of foreign musicians in Venice. In 1603, Giovanni Croce was appointed to the post, followed by Giulio Cesare Martinengo in 1609 and Claudio Monteverdi in 1613.

The peak of development of the Venetian School was in the 1580’s, when Andrea and Giovanni Gabrieli composed enormous works for multiple choirs, groups of brass and string instruments and organ. These scored works are the first to include dynamics and are among the first to include specific instructions for ensemble instrumentation. The great organists of the Venetian School at this time were Claudio Merulo and Girolamo Diruta. They began to define and instrumental style and technique, which moved to northern Europe in the succeeding generations.

After 1603, a basso continuo was added to the already considerable forces at San Marco – orchestra, soloists, choir; a further step towards the Baroque cantata. Music at San Marco went through a period of decline, but the fame of the music had spread far and transformed into the “concertato” style. The style made possible the composition of extremely dramatic music.

The fame of the spectacular, sonorous music of San Marco at this time, spread across Europe. Numerous musicians came to Venice to hear, to study, to absorb and bring back what they learned to their countries of origin. Germany, in particular, was a region where composers began to work in a locally modified form of the Venetian style; though polychoral works were also composed elsewhere, such as the many masses written in Spain by Tomás Luis de Victoria.

In 1612 Claudio Monteverdi was appointed maestro di cappella (photo left) and though he brought the musical standards back to a high level; the vogue of the polychoral style had passed. Concertato music, much with solo voice, was now the norm and the productions of this late period are identifiably Baroque.