Bernardi, Stefano
Bernardi, Stefano
Bernardi, Stefano, Italian composer and music theorist; b. Verona, c. 1585; d. probably in Salzburg, 1636. He sang at Verona Cathedral in his youth, and then served as chaplain there in 1603. In 1610 he was maestro di cappella at the church of the Madonna dei Monti in Rome, and then held that position at Verona Cathedral from 1611 to 1622. After serving the Archduke Carl Joseph, Bishop of Breslau and Bressanone (1622–24), he went to Salzburg. In 1627 he was awarded a Doctor of Law degree. His Te Deum for 12 Choirs was composed for the consecration of Salzburg Cathedral in 1628. He publ. the treatise Porta musicale per la quale li principiante con facile brevità all’acquisto delle perfette regole del contrapunto vien inrodotto, op.2 (Verona, 1615). His 3 vols, of madrigals for 5 Voices (Venice, 1611, 1616, 1619) demonstrate his transition from the prima to seconda prattica styles. In his Salmi concertati for 5 Voices and Basso Continue (Venice, 1627), he anticipated the solo concerto by utilizing a soprano voice opposite a four-part ripieno. Among his other works were masses, Psalms, and motets.
Bibliography
F. Posch, S. B.s weltliche Vokal- und Instrumental-Werke (Salzburg, 1935).
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire