Page:Pratt - The history of music (1907).djvu/185

 Antonio Sartorio (d. 1681), born at Venice, was long at the court of Brunswick, but from 1676 was second choirmaster at St. Mark's. He brought out 14 operas at Venice (from 1652, mostly from 1666), besides psalms (1680).

Pietro Andrea Ziani (d. 1711), born at Venice, from 1657 choirmaster at Bergamo, from 1669 organist at St. Mark's, and from 1676 at Naples, was more prolific, producing over 20 operas (from 1657), mostly at Venice, besides 2 oratorios, church works (1640-60) and instrumental pieces (1691). With him the growing interest in instrumental writing becomes notable in connection with the opera.

Giovanni Legrenzi (d. 1690) was born near Bergamo about 1625 and studied with Rovetta and C. Pallavicini. From 1654 he was organist at Bergamo, in 1657-64 (if not longer) choirmaster at Ferrara, from 1672 head of one of the Venetian conservatories, from 1681 also second choirmaster at St. Mark's, and chief from 1685. His 18 operas (from 1664, mostly 1675-84) were nearly all produced at Venice. He was highly extolled in his own time, and is conspicuous for a decided development of the orchestral accompaniments and for successful handling of comic scenes and plots. He was also eminent for many sacred and instrumental works (see sec. 94). With him begins the transition to the fertility of the last part of the century. His distinguished pupils were many, including Lotti and Caldara.

To these may be added at Venice Giovanni Rovetta (d. 1668), Monteverdi's successor at St. Mark's in 1643 and a distinguished church composer, with 2 operas (1645-9); Giambattista Volpe (d. 1692), his nephew and pupil (hence called Rovettino), from 1665 organist at St. Mark's, with 3 (1659-64); Carlo Grossi, a conceited singer at St. Mark's, with at least 6 (1659-77), besides church works; and Giovanni Antonio Boretti of Parma, with at least 8 (1662-73).

Outside of Venice before 1670 may be noted, at Rome, Luigi Rossi, one of the many protégés of the Cardinals Barberini, with 1 (1642), besides another at Paris (1647), Marco Marazzoli (d. 1662), a famous harpist and from 1637 in the Papal Chapel, with 3 (1642-58), A. M. Abbatini (d. 1677), with 2 at Rome and Vienna (1650-66), and P. F. Valentini (d. 1654), with 2 favole, each with intermezzi (1654), besides learned canons, etc.; at Genoa, Francesco Righi, with 1 (1653); at Ferrara and Vienna, Giuseffo Tricarico, with 2 (1655-62); at Naples, Francesco Cirillo, with 2 (1654-5); at Viterbo, Giovanni Battista Mariani (1659); and at Palermo, Vincenzo Amati (1664).

82. The Early Oratorio.—Although the musical drama began in both secular and sacred varieties, the Venetian attention to the former left the latter undeveloped. The one Italian oratorio-composer to be emphasized is Carissimi. Before his time the difference between the two forms (so far as both were attempted) lay only in topic and text, both being given with scenery, costume and action, and with the same musical materials. Carissimi set aside the theatrical presentation, often committed dramatic details to a 'Narrator,' emphasized the function of the