Bassano (also Bassani), Giovanni
Bassano (also Bassani), Giovanni
Bassano (also Bassani), Giovanni, Italian violinist, cornet player, singer, and composer; b. 1560 or 1561; d. Venice, Aug. 16, 1617. He learned to play the violin and the cornet. He pursued his career in Venice, where he became a member of the instrumental ensemble at San Marco. He also became a singer (1585) and a teacher (1595) at the seminary there. From 1601 he was in charge of the instrumental ensemble at the Basilica. His writings on ornamentation greatly influenced composers of the Venetian school. As a composer, he excelled in composing motets.
Works
(all publ. in Venice): vocal: sacred:Motetti per concerti ecclesiastici for 5 to 8 and 12 Voices (1598); Concerti ecclesiastici, libro secondo for 5 to 8 and 12 Voices (1599). Secular: Fantasie per cantar et sonar con ogni sorte d’istrumenti (1585); Canzonette for 4 Voices (1587); II fiore dei capricci musicali per sonar ogni sorte di strumenti for 4 Voices (1588); Motetti, madrigali et canzone francese di diversi eccelolenti autori for 4 to 6 Voices (1591); Madrigali et canzonette concertate per potersi cantare con il basso & soprno nel liuto & istrumente da pen a con passaggi a ciascuna parte...libro primo (1602).
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire