Rossi, Salamone (also Salomone, Salamon de’, Or Shlomo)

Rossi, Salamone (also Salomone, Salamon de’ , Or Shlomo ), distinguished Italian composer of Jewish descent; b. probably in Mantua, Aug. 19, 1570; d. probably there, c. 1630. He was closely associated with the Mantuan court for a number of years, being granted the privilege of not having to conform to the Mantuan law of wearing a yellow badge to acknowledge his Jewish heritage; the privilege was accorded him by Duke Vincenzo Gonzaga in 1606, and was renewed by Duke Francesco II upon his accession in 1612. In later years he devoted much time to a Jewish theatrical troupe, but continued to be associated with musical events at the court. He was a leading figure in the development of the trio sonata and the chamber duet. Among his instrumental works are Il primo libro delle sinfonie e gagliarde…per sonar for 2 Violas or Cornetts and Chitarrone or Other Instruments (1607), Il secondo libro delle sinfonie e gagliarde, a 3, per sonar…con alcune delle dette a 4, 5, ed alcune canzoni per sonar, a 4, nel fine for Violas and Chitarrone (1608), Il terzo libro de varie sonate, sinfonie, gagliarde, brandi e corrente for 2 Violas da Braccio and Chitarrone or Other Instruments, op.12 (1623), and Il quarto libro de varie sonate, sinfonie, gagliarde, brandi e corrente for 2 Violins and Chitarrone (1622). He also wrote sacred and secular vocal pieces.

Bibliography

S. Naumbourg, Essai sur la vie et les oeuvres de Salamon R. (Paris, 1877); E. Birnbaum, Jüdische Musiker am Hofe zu Mantua von 1542–1628 (Vienna, 1893; Eng. tr., rev. and aug., 1978); J. Newman, The Madrigals of Salamon de’ R. (diss., Columbia Univ., 1962); J. Newman and F. Rikko, A Thematic Index to the Works of Salamon R. (Hackensack, N.J., 1972).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire