Gabrieli, Andrea (also known as Andrea di Cannategio)

Gabrieli, Andrea (also known as Andrea di Cannategio) , eminent Italian organist and composer, uncle of Giovanni Gabrieli; b. Venice, c. 1510; d. there, 1586. He may have been a pupil of Adrian Willaert at S. Marco while serving as a chorister there (1536). He was organist at S. Geremia in Cannaregio in 1557–58. He was in Frankfurt am Main for the coronation of Maximilian II as court organist of Duke Albrecht V of Bavaria in 1562. In 1566 he returned to Venice and was appointed 2nd organist at S. Marco; became 1st organist on Jan. 1, 1585, succeeding Merulo. He enjoyed a great reputation as an organist (his concerts with Merulo, on 2 organs, were featured attractions). Among his pupils were his nephew and Hans Leo Hassler. A prolific composer, he wrote a large number of works of varied description, many of which were publ. posth., ed. by his nephew. His versatility is attested by the fact that he was equally adept in sacred music of the loftiest spirit and in instrumental music, as well as in madrigals, often of a comic nature.

Works

VOCAL Sacred : Sacrae cantiones vulgo motecta appellatae, liber primus for 5 Voices and Instruments (Venice, 1565); Primus liber missarum for 6 Voices (Venice, 1572); Ecclesiasticarum cantionum omnibus sanctorum solemnitatibus deservientium liber primus for 4 Voices (1576); Psalmi Davidici, qui poenitentiales nuncupantur for 6 Voices and Instruments (1583); Concerti…continenti musica di chiesa, madrigali, & altro…liber primo et secondo for 6 to 8, 10, 12, and 16 Voices and Instruments (1587). Madrigals : II primo libro di madrigali for 5 Voices (1566); II secondo libro di madrigali for 5 and 6 Voices, & uno dialogo for 8 Voices (1570; 3rd ed., Aug., 1588); Greghesche et iustiniane…libro primo for 3 Voices (1571); II primo libra de madrigali for 6 Voices (1574); Libro primo di madrigali for 3 Voices (1575); II secondo libra de madrigali for 6 Voices (1580); II terzo libra de madrigali for 5 Voices (1589); Madrigali e ricercari for 4 Voices (1589); also Chori in musica…sopra li chori della tragedia di Edippo Tiranno (1588) and Mascherate for 3 to 6 and 8 Voices (1601). I n s t r u m e n t a l : Canzoni allafrancese per sonar sopra stromenti da tasti (1571; not extant); Madrigali et ricercari for 4 Voices (1589); Intonationi d’organo…libro primo (1593); Ricercari…composti et tabulati per ogni sorte di stromenti da tasti…libra secondo (1595); II terzo libra de ricercari for Keyboard (1596); Canzoni allafrancese per sonar sopra instromenti da tasti…libra sesto (1605); 3 organ masses and other pieces.

Bibliography

I. Zerr-Becking, Studien zu A. G. (Prague, 1933); F. Degrada, A. G. e il suo tempo (Florence, 1988).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire