Amante Franzoni (1605 - 1630) was an Italian baroque
composer however, little is know of his life. He was
born in Mantua in 1575. Records are scarce and
incomplete and do not show where and with whom he
completed his musical studies however, he was a member
of the Olympic Academy and belonged to the Order of the
servants of Mary. We do know, however, that around 1611
he moved away from his city to fill the post of chapel
master in the cathedral of Forlì.
Returning to Mantua, he was at ...(+)
Amante Franzoni (1605 - 1630) was an Italian baroque
composer however, little is know of his life. He was
born in Mantua in 1575. Records are scarce and
incomplete and do not show where and with whom he
completed his musical studies however, he was a member
of the Olympic Academy and belonged to the Order of the
servants of Mary. We do know, however, that around 1611
he moved away from his city to fill the post of chapel
master in the cathedral of Forlì.
Returning to Mantua, he was at the service of the
Gonzaga family as master of the ducal chapel of S.
Barbara, where he has been active since 1610 (Barblan,
p. XXIV n. 1), from 12 October. 1612 until January
1630. His activity in S. Barbara underwent, with all
certainty, an interruption of about seven months,
between October 1627 and May 1628, a period during
which he was replaced by Gregorio Anerio.
He was a friend of Don Francesco Dognazzi, another
musician in the service of the Gonzaga, who took care
to publish some of his compositions, including the
first book of madrigals for three voices and the second
book of the musical foils to 3 items (both printed in
Venice by R. Amadino, in 1608 and 1607 respectively).
There is no record of Amante Franzoni after 1630.
Pietro Canal remembers Franzoni as one of the "...
musicians servants of the sermo Duke of Mantua, who
worked for the collection of Mottetti with one, two,
three and four voices, dedicated to the same Duke by
Federico Malgarini as well as servant and musician of
said Height "(printed in Venice, Vincenti, 1618).
Amante Franzoni was a rather prolific composer, but his
liturgical repertoire is not on the whole so
noteworthy, except for the interesting practice of
introducing some free instrumental parts into the mass.
In this regard, he uses the term "symphony" to indicate
short-lived instrumental compositions that were to be
performed alternately with the sung parts of the mass.
In the musical apparatus of masses, symphonies, songs,
motets and lethargy of the Blessed Virgin, Op. 5, lib.
I (Venice 1613) inserts two 8-part "symphonies" for the
offertory, one "symphony" at the Sanctus, and one last
at the Agnus, both with 4 voices, thus showing
sensitivity to the new trends that were emerging within
the liturgy of the mass. The very environment in which
Franzoni found himself operating was full of innovative
ferments, and not only with regard to sacred music.
Mantua del Franzoni was also one of the major centers
of secular musical activity. In this context, he showed
to be affected more than any of his contemporaries by
the influence of Claudio Monteverdi, especially of the
musical satire. The use he made of the "false drone" in
some passages of Here the dewy dawn and Si rid'Amor,
both collected in the second book of the musical
Fioretti(Venice 1607), clearly reveals the influence of
Monteverdi, as well as of Ludovico Grossi from Viadana.
In the same collection, moreover, Franzoni inserted a
song by Monteverdi, Prima vedrò .
Among the compositions of Franzoni, in addition to
those mentioned, we mention: The new 3-part musical
florets, Venice, Amadino, 1605; The second book of the
3-part musical foils, ibid., Id., 1607; The first
3-part book of madrigals, ibid., Id., 1608;
Ecclesiastical concerts with 1, 2, 3 voices, ibid.
1611; Qual hora in senti miro, 1 voice, and basso
continuo, ibid., Amadino, 1613; Masses and letharies of
the Blessed Virgin with 8 voices, lib. II, Mantua 1614;
The third book of the 3-part musical foils with some
arias, Venice 1617; 4-voice Audi Domine with basso
continuo, in Franzoni Malgarini, Motets with 1, 2, 3, 4
voices with basso continuo for the organ, ibid.,
Vincenti, 1618; Sacra omnium solemnitatum vespertina
psalmodia, ibid., Id., 1619; Masses with 5 voices on
bass for those who want to use them, Op. 10, ibid.,
Magni, 1623..
Source: Biographical Dictionary of Italians
(http://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/amante-franzoni_(D
izionario-Biografico)/).
Although originally composed for Organ, I created this
Interpretation of the "Canzona Francese" (La Gonzaga)
for Woodwind Quartet (Flute, Oboe, Bb Clarinet &
Bassoon).
SHEET MUSIC