A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Agazzari, Agostino

by Edward H. Pember

AGAZZARI, Agostino, was a cadet of a noble family of Siena, and born on Dec. 2, 1578. He passed the first years of his professional life in the service of the Emperor Matthias. After a time he came to Rome, where he was chosen Maestro di Cappella at the German College (before 1603) at the church of S. Apollinaris,^[1] and subsequently at the Seminario Romano. An intimacy grew up between him and the well-known Viadana, of Mantua, and he was one of the earliest adopters of the figured bass. In the preface to his third volume of 'Motetti' (Zanetti, Rome, 1606), he gives some instructions for its employment. In 1630 he returned to Siena, and became Maestro of its cathedral, a post which he retained till his death, probably in 1640. Agazzari was a member of the Academy of the Armonici Intronati. His publications are numerous, and consist of Madrigals, Motetts, Psalms, Magnificats, Litanies, etc., republished in numerous editions at Rome, Milan, Venice, Antwerp, Frankfort, and elsewhere. His one substantive contribution to the scientific literature of music is a little work of only sixteen quarto pages, entitled 'La Musica Ecclesiastica, dove si contiene la vera diffinizione della Musica come Scienza non più veduta e sua nobilta' (Siena, 1638); the object of which is to determine how church music should best conform itself to the Resolution of the Council of Trent. Palestrina, however, had worked at a clearer practical solution of that problem than any which the speculations of a scientific theorist could possibly evolve. On the authority of Pitoni, a pastoral drama, entitled 'Eumelio,' has been ascribed to Agazzari. It was undoubtedly performed at Amelia, and printed by Domenico Domenici at Roncilione in 1614 (Allacci, 'Dramaturgia'); but no author's name is affixed either to music or libretto.

A short motett by Agazzari is given by Proske in the 'Musica divina' (Lib. Motettorum, No. lxv).

[ E. H. P. ]

1. Baini alone mentions this second appointment; but he is probably right.