Paolo da Firenze

Through the musically fruitful amount of the fourteenth century in Italy, two composers’ music survives in somewhat disproportionate abundance, that of Francesco Landini and Paolo da Firenze. Firenze was created sometime around 1355, most likely right into a humble family members. He previously at least three brothers and his dad was called Marco. He was ordained like a Benedictine monk in about 1380. By this time around, he was most likely already active being a singer and could have worked skillfully in music before acquiring his vows. In 1401 he was produced abbot from the monastery of S Martino al Pino, near Arezzo. By 1417, he previously been produced rector on the cathedral of S Maria Annunziata Virgine (generally referred to as Orbatello) in Florence, and appears to have taken up home in that town as soon as 1406. Several men with equivalent names have already been regarded as the composer, a controversy somewhat solved by his will, but which proceeds due to the living of other regional monks and an abbot from the same 1st name. The abnormal distribution of his music in addition has caused its talk about of scholarly head aches. It is anticipated that the functions from the second-most prolific Italian author of the trecento would arrive in more locations than they are doing. However, nearly all Firenze’s music is situated in an individual Florentine manuscript, while the rest of the essential manuscripts of the time contain nothing at all of him. To chemical substance the frustration, you will find two whole manuscripts which were certainly ready for his functions, one having a family portrait of him in the frontispiece, but which continued to be vacant. Some fragments of manuscripts, that are neither total nor legible plenty of for use, appear also to become entirely specialized in his works, recommending the scattering can be an improbable historical accident, not really indicative from the opinion where he happened. His catalog right now contains somewhere within 33 and 61 functions, based on whose list it really is, those works primarily becoming madrigals and ballata. The very best items show inventive usage of meter, amazing textures, and uncommon tonal schemes, that are only plenty of to earn Firenze credit as an extremely specific composer. Another cause that the count number of his functions fluctuates is certainly that Firenze himself, perhaps spotting which of his functions were second price and having to worry with posterity, appears to have suppressed the ascriptions of less functions wherever he could. Hence what is still left are “anonymous” parts using manuscripts that Firenze acquired a submit producing, as the same parts are elsewhere acknowledged as his. One of the most excellent parts, obviously, all possess unquestionable ascriptions to him. In any event, it’s apparent that he was extremely influential both being a composer and theorist, and a man from the material. His resignation as abbot of S Martino al Pino is certainly dated June 16, 1433. He passed away sometime after Sept 21, 1436, which may be the time of his will.