A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Ruffo, Vincenzo

by George Grove

RUFFO, Vincenzo, an Italian composer of the 16th century, included by Baini among the 'good musicians' of his 4th Epoch. He is stated by Fétis to have been born at Verona, and to have become maestro di capella, first of the cathedral at Milan, and then of that of his native place. Eitner gives the date of the latter as 1554. Another notice makes him also Maestro di Capella at Pistoja. Nine separate original publications of his works are mentioned by Fétis and Pougin, embracing a mass; 2 books of motets; 1 do. of Magnificats; 1 do. of psalms; 4 do. of madrigals; and ranging in date from 1550 to 1583. The Catalogue of the Fétis Library, however, contains (No. 2213) a book of madrigals, dated Venice, 1545. The psalms and the mass are stated in the prefaces (1568, 74) to have been written for his patron Card. Borromeo, in accordance with the decrees of the Council of Trent (1563). An 'Adoramus' has been reprinted by Luck, and a madrigal, 'See from his ocean bed,' for 4 voices, was edited by Oliphant, and is given in Hullah's 'Part Music, Class A.' The Library of Ch. Ch., Oxford, has a MS. motet à 3 of his, and the Sacred Harmonic Society (No 1940) two madrigals.

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