Grandi, Alessandro

Grandi, Alessandro, significant Italian composer; b. c. 1577; d. Bergamo, 1630. He was maestro di cappella at the Accademia della Morte (1597-1604), the Accademia dello Spirito Santo (1610-15), and the cathedral in Ferrara (1615-17), then became a singer (1617) and 2nd maestro di cappella (1620) at S. Marco in Venice. He subsequently was maestro di cappella at S. Maria Maggiore in Bergamo from 1627 until his death from the plague. His sacred music is of great importance; he excelled in the new concertato style. He also composed secular solo cantatas and arias, as well as concertato madrigals of great merit.

Works

VOCAL (all publ. in Venice unless otherwise noted): Sacred : II primo libro de (21) motetti for 2 to 5 and 8 Voices, con una messa for 4 Voices and Basso Continuo (1610); II secondo libro de (12) motetti for 2 to 4 Voices and Basso Continuo (1613; 2nd ed., aug., 1617); (16) Motetti for 5 Voices and Basso Continuo, con le Letanie della beata vergine (Ferrara, 1614; 3rd ed., aug., 1620, for 2 to 5 and 8 Voices and Basso Continuo [organ]); II terzo libro de (26) motetti for 2 to 4 Voices, con le Letanie della beata vergine for 5 Voices and Basso Continuo (1614; not extant; 2nd ed., 1618); II quarto libro de (17) motetti for 2 to 4 and 7 Voices and Basso Continuo (1616); Celestifiori…de suoi (16) concerti for 2 to 4 Voices and Basso Continuo, con alcune cantilene (1619; 2nd ed., 1620, for 1 to 4 Voices); (18) Motetti for Voice and Basso Continuo (1621); (15) Motetti for 1 and 2 Voices and Basso Continuo, con sinfonie (1621); (14) Motetti for 1 and 2 Voices and Basso Continuo, …libro II (2nd ed., 1625); (19) Motetti for 1 and 2 Voices and Basso Continuo, con sinfonie…libro III (1629); Salmi brevi for 8 Voices and Basso Continuo (1629); Messa, e salmi for 3 Voices and Basso Continuo (1630); Raccolta terza…de messa et salmi… for 2 to 4 and 6 Voices ad libitum, Cornett, 4 Trombones, Violin, and Basso Continuo (1630); II sesto libro de (19) motetti for 2 to 4 Voices and Basso Continuo (1630; 3rd ed., Antwerp, 1640, for 2 to 4 Voices and Basso Continuo); (2) Messe for 8 Voices and Basso Continuo (1637). VOCAL: Secular : (15) Madrigali for 2 to 4 Voices and Basso Continuo (1615); (42) Cantade et arie for Voice and Basso Continuo (2nd ed., 1620; not extant); (20) Madrigali for 2 to 4 Voices and Basso Continuo …libro II (1622); Cantade et arie for Voice and Basso Continuo …libro III (1626); Arie, et cantade for 2 and 3 Voices, 2 Violins, and Basso Continuo (1626; only 2nd-violin part extant); Cantade et arie for Voice and Basso Continuo …libro IV (1629; not extant).

Bibliography

M. Seelkopf, Das geistliche Schaffen von A. G. (diss., Julius-Maximilian Univ., Wiirzburg, 1973).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire