Andrea Gabrieli

Andrea Gabrieli (c. 1510 – late 1586) was an Italian composer and organist of the late Renaissance. The uncle of the somewhat more famous Giovanni Gabrieli, he was the first internationally renowned member of the Venetian School of composers, and was extremely influential in spreading the Venetian style in Italy as well as in Germany.

Life

Details on Gabrieli's early life are sketchy. He was probably a native of Venice, and may have been a pupil of Adrian Willaert at St. Mark's there. He is known to have been organist in Cannaregio in 1557, at which time he competed unsuccessfully for the post of organist at St. Mark's. In 1562 he went to Germany, where he visited Frankfurt am Main and Munich; while there he met and became friends with Orlando di Lasso. In 1566 he was chosen for the post of organist at St. Mark's, one of the most prestigious musical posts in northern Italy; he retained this position for the rest of his life. Around this time he acquired, and maintained, a reputation as one of the finest current composers. Working in the unique acoustical space of St. Mark's, he was able to develop his unique, grand ceremonial style, which was enormously influential in the development of the polychoral style and the concertato idiom, which partially defined the beginning of the Baroque era in music.

Related Topics:
Venice - Adrian Willaert - St. Mark's - Cannaregio - 1557 - 1562 - Frankfurt am Main - Munich - Orlando di Lasso - 1566 - Polychoral - Concertato - Baroque

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

His duties at St. Mark's clearly included composition, for he wrote a lot of music for ceremonial affairs, some of considerable historical interest. He provided the music for the festivities accompanying the celebration of the victory over the Turks in the Battle of Lepanto (1571); he also composed music for the visit of several princes from Japan (1586).

Related Topics:
Turks - Battle of Lepanto - 1571 - Japan - 1586

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Late in his career he also became famous as a teacher. Prominent among his students were his nephew Giovanni Gabrieli; the music theorist Lodovico Zacconi; Hans Leo Hassler, who carried the concertato style to Germany; and many others.

Related Topics:
Lodovico Zacconi - Hans Leo Hassler

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The date and circumstances of his death are not known, but since his position at St. Mark's was filled at the end of 1586, and a large amount of his music was published posthumously in 1587, it is presumed that he died in 1586.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~