Lodovico Agostini

As a singer, priest, writer, and composer, Lodovico Agostini could have easily succeeded in creating liturgical works; however, deeply appreciative of the voice, he is best known for his madrigals. Although he wrote a few songs in the early 1560s, it wasn't until 1567, shortly after completing his formal training in Rome, that he finished his first book of vocal works entitled Musica . . . sopra le rime bizarre di M. Andrea Calmo, & altri autori. Having been born into a musical family in the commune of Ferrara, the composer was given an excellent start to a strong career. In many ways he followed in the footsteps of his relative Agostino Agostini (also a priest, singer, and composer), especially when the younger man became involved with the cappella of Ferrara Cathedral in 1572, where Agostino Agostini began serving as priest approximately 30 years earlier.

While working as chapelmaster at the Ferrarese court of Duke Alfonso II d'Este and tutoring Duke Guglielmo Gonzaga, Lodovico Agostini completed nearly all of his other madrigals, all of which were written for ensembles of four to six voices. These titles include Canzoni alla napolitana . . . libro primo (1574), L'echo, et enigmi musicali . . . libro secondo (1581), and Madrigali . . . libro terzo (1582). His works encompass a range of styles and moods; they are at times humorous, frequently deviate from diatonicism, and some are quite liberal in their incorporation of instrumentation. His All' arm', all' arm' was recorded by Harmonia Mundi in 1993, featuring <a href="spotify:artist:0AxQzpNZ1OnxDKkthEAN7Q">E. Hargis</a>, King's Noyse, and D. Douglass, and his Non t'aricordi by EMI in 1992, featuring the King's Singers.