A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Rossi, Luigi

by George Grove

ROSSI, Luigi, was a contemporary of Carissimi's, born at Naples towards the end of the 16th century, and found at Rome about 1620. His works known at present are chiefly cantatas, for one or more voices with clavier accompaniments, often of great length and in many movements. Thirty-five of these are to be found in the British Museum (Harl. MSS. 1265, 1273, 1501, 1863), and not less than 112 in the Library of Christ Church, Oxford. They are said to be beautiful music, quite equal to that of Scarlatti. The Magliabecchi Library at Florence contains a scene extracted from a 'spiritual opera' of his, 'Giuseppe figlio di Giacobbe'; and the library of the Sacred Harmonic Society of London contains 'Il Palazzo incantato, overo, La Guerriere amante' (MS.), an opera by Giulio Ruspigliosi, music by Rossi, performed at Rome 1642. Gevaert, in 'Les Gloires d'Italie,' gives two cantatas for a single voice.

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