Ercole Bottrigari
Encyclopedia
Ercole Bottrigari was an Italian scholar, mathematician, poet, music theorist, architect, and composer. The illegitimate son of Giovanni Battista Bottrigari, he was legitimized in 1538 and raised in his household in Bologna
. He distinguished himself by reciting poetry at a court function and was rewarded with the orders of Knight of the Holy See and Lateran in 1542.
Bottrigari published books of madrigals, including Il primo libro di madrigali a quattro voci (Venice, 1558) and Libro terzo de madrigali a cinque voci (Venice, 1583). In 1546 with the help of his father Bottrigari established a small private press, but very few works from it survive. In 1551 he married Lucrezia Usberti (d 1591). In 1576 he fled to Ferrara
, where he got to know Torquato Tasso
, and where he wrote his treatise Il Desiderio, overo de' concerti di varii strumenti musicali. In 1586 he moved back to Bologne, where he was in touch with intellectuals such as Gioseffo Zarlino
and Annibale Melone. His first musical treatise was Il Patricio (1593), and dealt with classical subjects, and was written in the form of a dialogue. Mascara, overo della fabbrica de' teatri (1598), never published, is an important work for modern scholars, describing theatrical structures and practice.
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
. He distinguished himself by reciting poetry at a court function and was rewarded with the orders of Knight of the Holy See and Lateran in 1542.
Bottrigari published books of madrigals, including Il primo libro di madrigali a quattro voci (Venice, 1558) and Libro terzo de madrigali a cinque voci (Venice, 1583). In 1546 with the help of his father Bottrigari established a small private press, but very few works from it survive. In 1551 he married Lucrezia Usberti (d 1591). In 1576 he fled to Ferrara
Ferrara
Ferrara is a city and comune in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, capital city of the Province of Ferrara. It is situated 50 km north-northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main stream of the Po River, located 5 km north...
, where he got to know Torquato Tasso
Torquato Tasso
Torquato Tasso was an Italian poet of the 16th century, best known for his poem La Gerusalemme liberata , in which he depicts a highly imaginative version of the combats between Christians and Muslims at the end of the First Crusade, during the siege of Jerusalem...
, and where he wrote his treatise Il Desiderio, overo de' concerti di varii strumenti musicali. In 1586 he moved back to Bologne, where he was in touch with intellectuals such as Gioseffo Zarlino
Gioseffo Zarlino
Gioseffo Zarlino was an Italian music theorist and composer of the Renaissance. He was possibly the most famous music theorist between Aristoxenus and Rameau, and made a large contribution to the theory of counterpoint as well as to musical tuning.-Life:Zarlino was born in Chioggia, near Venice...
and Annibale Melone. His first musical treatise was Il Patricio (1593), and dealt with classical subjects, and was written in the form of a dialogue. Mascara, overo della fabbrica de' teatri (1598), never published, is an important work for modern scholars, describing theatrical structures and practice.