Venice High Mass in St Mark’s

I arrived in St Mark’s just as the little bell was rung for the entrance of the celebrants including a very imposing big cheese who sat on a throne except when he delivered his sermon. So I sat almost at the back with the passing trade. But the sound of the music was excellent. However, from there I couldn’t tell if they were singing antiphonally or not. Much of the music sounded like the Gabrielis to me but there are almost thirty well-known Venetian composers who wrote almost at the same time as the Gabrielis. One of the pieces with the rising chromatic bassline, I recognised as Monteverdi. What a marvellous experience to hear this music sung four hundred years after it was first performed in this great church!!!

Later I manage to sit towards the front of the church. I can hear the polyphonic effect but I cannot see the choir. Sitting in the centre of this magnificent church is an wonderful experience. When I go outside, I see a long line of tourists waiting patiently to cruise through the church. I prefer to enjoy the High Mass.

Adriano Willaert
Cipriano de Rore
Giseffo Zarlino
Claudio Merulo
Andrea Gabrieli
Giovanni Gabrieli
Giovanni Bassano
Baldassare Donato
Giovanni Croce
More Venetian composers
* Giovanni Maria Artusi
* Antonio Barré
* Giovanni Bassano
* Jeronimo Bassano
* Vincenzo Bellavere (Bell’Haver)
* Melchior Borchgrevinck
* Jacques Buus
* Girolamo Dalla Casa
* Francesco Guami
* Gioseffo Guami
* Hans Leo Hassler
* Rogier Michael
* Asprilio Pacelli
* Annibale Padovano
* Girolamo Parabosco
* Giovanni Priuli
* Cipriano de Rore
* Giulio Segni
* Francesco Spinacino
* Francesco Usper (real name Spongia)
* Gioseffo Zarlino
* Mikolaj Zielenski

Keith of Ninewells