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Giammateo AsolaItalian composer
Country:
 Italy |
Content:
- Gianmatteo Asola: A Renowned Italian Composer of the Late Renaissance
- Ordination and Early Career (1569-1577)
- Relocation to Venice and Later Career (1582-1609)
- Musical Influence and Style
- Compositions
Gianmatteo Asola: A Renowned Italian Composer of the Late Renaissance
Early Life and EducationGianmatteo Asola, a prolific composer of sacred music, was born in Verona, Italy, in or before 1532. He began his formal music education in 1546 at a congregation of secular canons. While residing in Verona, Asola likely studied under Vincenzo Ruffo, a prominent composer and fellow Veronese.
Ordination and Early Career (1569-1577)
In 1569, Asola became a non-celibate priest. In 1577, he secured the position of maestro di cappella at Treviso Cathedral. However, the following year, he moved to Vicenza Cathedral, which offered a significantly higher salary and greater musical opportunities.
Relocation to Venice and Later Career (1582-1609)
After a brief stint in Vicenza, Asola relocated to Venice in 1582, which was a flourishing center of sacred music in northern Italy. He remained in Venice for the rest of his life, with the exception of a brief stay in Verona in 1590-1591. Serving as one of four priests at St. Severo Church, Asola seemingly had no affiliation with the renowned St. Mark's Basilica. He passed away on October 1, 1609.
Musical Influence and Style
Despite spending 27 years in Venice, Asola's compositions remained largely unaffected by the stylistic advancements of the Venetian music school. Most of his works exhibit the characteristics of the Roman school, epitomized by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina. In his later works, Asola began incorporating basso continuo into his compositions, possibly making him one of the first composers to do so. The only notable Venetian influence in Asola's music is the occasional use of cori spezzati, a style featuring alternating groups of singers. However, this technique was widely adopted in northern Italy during Asola's time.
Compositions
Asola's diverse body of work includes a substantial number of masses, including a Requiem mass; psalm settings; Lamentations; vespers; antiphons; spiritual songs; and other sacred compositions. He also wrote secular music, notably several collections of madrigals. One collection is particularly unique as it consists solely of two-voice canons, departing from the four-voice norm and strict counterpoint common in madrigals of the era.
