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.
Life and career
Virtually nothing is known about Giovanni's life. From his surname it is presumed that he was born in the village of
Music
Nineteen of Giovanni's compositions survive, scattered in nine manuscripts. Sixteen of these are
Several of his works survive in quite different versions; this is evidence that improvisation was still an important aspect of musical performance up to this time. Giovanni's works tend not to be tonally unified; they begin and end on different notes, and in some cases, such as Nascoso el viso, each poetic line begins and ends on different notes. Occasional imitation is found in his work.
Works
- Madrigals
(all for two voices)
- Agnel son bianco
- Appress’un fiume chiaro
- Deh, come dolcemente
- Donna già fu’
- Fra mille corvi
- In su la ripa
- La bella stella
- Nascoso el viso
- Nel meço a sei paon
- O perlaro gentil
- O tu, cara sciença
- Per ridda andando ratto
- Più non mi curo
- Quando la stella
- Sedendo all’ombra
- Togliendo l’una a l’altra
- Cacce
(all for three voices)
- Con brachi assai
- Nel bosco sença foglie
- Per larghi prati
- Doubtful
- De soto ’l verde (2 voices)
- Lost
- Soni multi et ballate (1 voice)
Editions
Editions of all of Giovanni's works have been completed by W. Thomas Marrocco and Nino Pirrotta in the twentieth century.
References
- Fischer/D'Agostino, "Giovanni da Cascia". The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians online.