Rossi Codex
Encyclopedia
The Rossi Codex is a music manuscript collection of the 14th century. The manuscript is presently divided into two sections, one in the Vatican Library
and another, smaller section in the Northern Italian town of Ostiglia
. The codex
contains 37 secular works including madrigal
s, cacce and, uniquely among trecento
sources, monophonic
ballatas. The codex is of great interest for trecento musicologists
because for many years it was considered the earliest source of fourteenth-century Italian music. Although other pre-1380 sources of secular, polyphonic
, Italian
music have now been identified, none are nearly so extensive as the Rossi Codex.
The largest part of the Rossi Codex is currently in the Vatican Library
(Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Rossi 215). This section comprises seven bifolios, ff. 1–8 and ff. 18–21. In the early nineteenth century, it was in the possession of Italian collector Giovan Francesco de Rossi, for whom this manuscript and the collection in the Vatican is named. In 1857 his widow gave the manuscripts to the Jesuit library in Linz
, later transferred to Vienna
. In that collection, the manuscript had the shelfmark, VIII.154. In 1922, the Jesuits gave the collection to the Vatican. The manuscript was first brought to the attention of the musical community by Monsignor Gino Borghezio in 1925 and then described in more depth by the musicologists Heinrich Besseler (1927), Friedrich Ludwig (1928), and Johannes Wolf (1939). Although all three of these scholars contended that the manuscript, like most of the surviving trecento sources, was Florentine, the Italian scholars Ferdinando Liuzzi, Ugo Sesini, and Ettore Li Gotti noted that linguistic evidence in the texts pointed to northern Italy, and the Veneto
in particular as more likely point of origin. Most recently, Pirrotta has asserted a specific origin in Verona on the basis of symbols in the codex's works.
The source's whereabouts prior to Rossi's possession are unclear. Kurt von Fischer claimed that it was owned by Cardinal Domenico Capranica (1400–1458) who gave the manuscript to
the college he founded (Collegio Capranica). However, as Pirrotta notes, other sources which De Rossi purchased from the Collegio in 1842 have a note acknowledging the Collegio as their origin. This codex has none. Pirrotta has further noted that De Rossi purchased books in Venice and Verona and speculates that the codex could have been acquired during one of these trips.
A smaller section of the manuscript is in the library of the Fondazione Greggiati in Ostiglia
(Biblioteca musicale Opera Pia "G. Greggiati"). Though the source is nearly always listed as "MS without shelfmark," it has recently been given the catalog number "Mus. rari B 35." These two bifolios were discovered by Oscar Mischiati in 1963. Since the folios did not appear in any library catalogs prior to 1963, and since the folios show evidence of having been folded, they were likely used as covers or cover reinforcements for other volumes.
in Padua
and Verona
between around 1330 and 1345. Alberto was the son of Can Grande della Scala, Prince of Verona
, the famous patron of Dante
. Alberto was an even greater patron of the arts than his father, according to an 18th century history. He lived in Padua, which was controlled by the Scaglia family until 1337; the presence of the local Paduan dialect in much of the music reinforces a Paduan origin for much of the music. Most significant of all, notational peculiarities in the manuscript are close to those described by Marchetto da Padova
in his Pomerium in arte musice mensurate of the second decade of the century, which was from the same region.
Though the music was probably composed between 1325 and 1355, recent evidence suggests that the codex, like most trecento sources, is retrospective. The manuscript was almost certainly copied after 1350 with the most accepted current date being Pirrotta's of c. 1370.
Overall, there are 29 pieces, some of which are incomplete, in the Vatican fragment. The Ostiglia leaves add another eight compositions to the total. Thirty of the pieces are madrigal
s, including one extremely unusual canonic
madrigal, and there is one caccia, one rondello, and five ballata
s. All of the ballatas are monophonic. While the music is anonymous, two composers have been identified from the appearance of the same pieces with attributions in other, later sources: Maestro Piero
and Giovanni da Cascia
.
Vatican Library
The Vatican Library is the library of the Holy See, currently located in Vatican City. It is one of the oldest libraries in the world and contains one of the most significant collections of historical texts. Formally established in 1475, though in fact much older, it has 75,000 codices from...
and another, smaller section in the Northern Italian town of Ostiglia
Ostiglia
Ostiglia is a comune in the Province of Mantua in the Italian region Lombardy, located about southeast of Milan and about southeast of Mantua....
. The codex
Codex
A codex is a book in the format used for modern books, with multiple quires or gatherings typically bound together and given a cover.Developed by the Romans from wooden writing tablets, its gradual replacement...
contains 37 secular works including madrigal
Madrigal (Trecento)
The Madrigal is an Italian musical form of the 14th century. The form flourished ca. 1300 – 1370 with a short revival near 1400. It was a composition for two voices, sometimes on a pastoral subject...
s, cacce and, uniquely among trecento
Music of the trecento
The Trecento was a period of vigorous activity in Italy in the arts, including painting, architecture, literature, and music. The music of the Trecento paralleled the achievements in the other arts in many ways, for example, in pioneering new forms of expression, especially in secular song in the...
sources, monophonic
Monophony
In music, monophony is the simplest of textures, consisting of melody without accompanying harmony. This may be realized as just one note at a time, or with the same note duplicated at the octave . If the entire melody is sung by two voices or a choir with an interval between the notes or in...
ballatas. The codex is of great interest for trecento musicologists
Musicology
Musicology is the scholarly study of music. The word is used in narrow, broad and intermediate senses. In the narrow sense, musicology is confined to the music history of Western culture...
because for many years it was considered the earliest source of fourteenth-century Italian music. Although other pre-1380 sources of secular, polyphonic
Polyphony
In music, polyphony is a texture consisting of two or more independent melodic voices, as opposed to music with just one voice or music with one dominant melodic voice accompanied by chords ....
, Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
music have now been identified, none are nearly so extensive as the Rossi Codex.
Structure and history
Although the manuscript originally had at least 32 folios, only 18 survive today.The largest part of the Rossi Codex is currently in the Vatican Library
Vatican Library
The Vatican Library is the library of the Holy See, currently located in Vatican City. It is one of the oldest libraries in the world and contains one of the most significant collections of historical texts. Formally established in 1475, though in fact much older, it has 75,000 codices from...
(Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Rossi 215). This section comprises seven bifolios, ff. 1–8 and ff. 18–21. In the early nineteenth century, it was in the possession of Italian collector Giovan Francesco de Rossi, for whom this manuscript and the collection in the Vatican is named. In 1857 his widow gave the manuscripts to the Jesuit library in Linz
Linz
Linz is the third-largest city of Austria and capital of the state of Upper Austria . It is located in the north centre of Austria, approximately south of the Czech border, on both sides of the river Danube. The population of the city is , and that of the Greater Linz conurbation is about...
, later transferred to Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. In that collection, the manuscript had the shelfmark, VIII.154. In 1922, the Jesuits gave the collection to the Vatican. The manuscript was first brought to the attention of the musical community by Monsignor Gino Borghezio in 1925 and then described in more depth by the musicologists Heinrich Besseler (1927), Friedrich Ludwig (1928), and Johannes Wolf (1939). Although all three of these scholars contended that the manuscript, like most of the surviving trecento sources, was Florentine, the Italian scholars Ferdinando Liuzzi, Ugo Sesini, and Ettore Li Gotti noted that linguistic evidence in the texts pointed to northern Italy, and the Veneto
Veneto
Veneto is one of the 20 regions of Italy. Its population is about 5 million, ranking 5th in Italy.Veneto had been for more than a millennium an independent state, the Republic of Venice, until it was eventually annexed by Italy in 1866 after brief Austrian and French rule...
in particular as more likely point of origin. Most recently, Pirrotta has asserted a specific origin in Verona on the basis of symbols in the codex's works.
The source's whereabouts prior to Rossi's possession are unclear. Kurt von Fischer claimed that it was owned by Cardinal Domenico Capranica (1400–1458) who gave the manuscript to
the college he founded (Collegio Capranica). However, as Pirrotta notes, other sources which De Rossi purchased from the Collegio in 1842 have a note acknowledging the Collegio as their origin. This codex has none. Pirrotta has further noted that De Rossi purchased books in Venice and Verona and speculates that the codex could have been acquired during one of these trips.
Ostiglia
Ostiglia is a comune in the Province of Mantua in the Italian region Lombardy, located about southeast of Milan and about southeast of Mantua....
(Biblioteca musicale Opera Pia "G. Greggiati"). Though the source is nearly always listed as "MS without shelfmark," it has recently been given the catalog number "Mus. rari B 35." These two bifolios were discovered by Oscar Mischiati in 1963. Since the folios did not appear in any library catalogs prior to 1963, and since the folios show evidence of having been folded, they were likely used as covers or cover reinforcements for other volumes.
Creation and contents
While the precise history of the Codex is obscure, some details about its creation have been established. Most likely it preserves the repertory of the group of singers and composers who were gathered by Alberto della ScalaAlberto II della Scala
Alberto II della Scala was lord of Verona from 1329 until his death. He was a member of the famous Scaliger family of northern Italy....
in Padua
Padua
Padua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 . The city is sometimes included, with Venice and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, having...
and Verona
Verona
Verona ; German Bern, Dietrichsbern or Welschbern) is a city in the Veneto, northern Italy, with approx. 265,000 inhabitants and one of the seven chef-lieus of the region. It is the second largest city municipality in the region and the third of North-Eastern Italy. The metropolitan area of Verona...
between around 1330 and 1345. Alberto was the son of Can Grande della Scala, Prince of Verona
Verona
Verona ; German Bern, Dietrichsbern or Welschbern) is a city in the Veneto, northern Italy, with approx. 265,000 inhabitants and one of the seven chef-lieus of the region. It is the second largest city municipality in the region and the third of North-Eastern Italy. The metropolitan area of Verona...
, the famous patron of Dante
Dante Alighieri
Durante degli Alighieri, mononymously referred to as Dante , was an Italian poet, prose writer, literary theorist, moral philosopher, and political thinker. He is best known for the monumental epic poem La commedia, later named La divina commedia ...
. Alberto was an even greater patron of the arts than his father, according to an 18th century history. He lived in Padua, which was controlled by the Scaglia family until 1337; the presence of the local Paduan dialect in much of the music reinforces a Paduan origin for much of the music. Most significant of all, notational peculiarities in the manuscript are close to those described by Marchetto da Padova
Marchetto da Padova
Marchetto da Padova was an Italian music theorist and composer of the late medieval era. His innovations in notation of time-values were fundamental to the music of the Italian ars nova, as was his work on defining the modes and refining tuning...
in his Pomerium in arte musice mensurate of the second decade of the century, which was from the same region.
Though the music was probably composed between 1325 and 1355, recent evidence suggests that the codex, like most trecento sources, is retrospective. The manuscript was almost certainly copied after 1350 with the most accepted current date being Pirrotta's of c. 1370.
Overall, there are 29 pieces, some of which are incomplete, in the Vatican fragment. The Ostiglia leaves add another eight compositions to the total. Thirty of the pieces are madrigal
Madrigal (Trecento)
The Madrigal is an Italian musical form of the 14th century. The form flourished ca. 1300 – 1370 with a short revival near 1400. It was a composition for two voices, sometimes on a pastoral subject...
s, including one extremely unusual canonic
Canon (music)
In music, a canon is a contrapuntal composition that employs a melody with one or more imitations of the melody played after a given duration . The initial melody is called the leader , while the imitative melody, which is played in a different voice, is called the follower...
madrigal, and there is one caccia, one rondello, and five ballata
Ballata
The ballata is an Italian poetic and musical form, which was in use from the late 13th to the 15th century. It has the musical structure AbbaA, with the first and last stanzas having the same texts. It is thus most similar to the French musical 'forme fixe' virelai...
s. All of the ballatas are monophonic. While the music is anonymous, two composers have been identified from the appearance of the same pieces with attributions in other, later sources: Maestro Piero
Maestro Piero
Maestro Piero was an Italian composer of the late medieval era. He was one of the first composers of the Trecento who is known by name, and probably one of the oldest...
and Giovanni da Cascia
Giovanni da Cascia
Giovanni da Cascia, also Jovannes de Cascia, Johannes de Florentia, Maestro Giovanni da Firenze, was an Italian composer of the medieval era, active in the middle of the fourteenth century....
.