GASPAR DE ALBERTIS AND MUSIC AT SANTA MARIA MAGGIORE IN BERGAMO IN THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY. (VOLUMES I AND II) (ITALY, ORGAN, RENAISSANCE, LITURGY, CHURCH)

Since the late fifteenth century, instrumental music and vocal polyphony have adorned the liturgical celebrations at the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, the principal church in Bergamo. The musical chapel's significant growth in the early sixteenth century is documented in extant church records; and a large repertory of contemporary liturgical polyphony, including early polychoral music, survives in the church's choirbooks.;Music printing and manuscript copying both played an important role in the development of the chapel's repertory of which the earliest surviving portion is a mass print from 1516. Manuscript production supplied most of the chapel's musical needs from 1524 to 1542, after which the purchase of prints was resumed. The repertory included music for mass and vespers for most major feasts and holy week. A hitherto unrecognized organ manuscript dated 1550 complements this repertory. It contains antiphon settings for alternatim or possibly accompanimental use. Documentary evidence also indicates the accompanimental use of wind instruments. Surviving music and documents at Santa Maria Maggiore allow detailed reconstruction of the musical performance practice there in the early sixteenth century.;Gaspar de Albertis de Padua composed most of this surviving music. Trained as a priest at Santa Maria Maggiore, he was active in the chapel's development, and was its first chapelmaster, at the same time acting as rector of a parish, and music master at the basilican scola. He also composed the first printed book of masses by an Italian. Forced to retire in 1550, he returned from 1552 to 1554 and died around 1561. There were other important musicians as well. The first local musician of importance was Castellus de Luere. Dominicus de Rachetis, formerly singing master to Federico Gonzaga, expanded the chapel, beginning in 1517. Franciscus Bifettus, priest and singing master, produced two books of madrigals. Musical diffusion from Bergamo accompanied Antonius de Scandellis and Cerbonius de Besutio, wind players from Santa Maria Maggiore who emigrated to Saxony and Bavaria.