Nanino, Giovanni Bernardino

Giovanni Bernardino Nanino was born in 1560 or a little earlier in the town of Vallerano in the north of Lazio . He began his musical education as a soprano boy in the Walleran Cathedral, as did his older brother Giovanni Maria Nanino. Manfredo Manfredi reports, among other information, that the future wife of the composer, Maddalena, and their first children were born in Vallerano.

From May 1585 to October 1586 he was the bandmaster of the Brotherhood of the Holy Trinity of Pilgrims ( Confraternita della SS. Trinità dei Pellegrini ) , then with the same duties he transferred to the Roman church of Santa Maria ai Monti. From 1591 to 1608 he was the bandmaster of another Roman church - San Luigi dei Francesi , replacing his brother Giovanni Maria, who transferred to the papal choir. Two brothers lived together in a house that belonged to the church, and spent most of their time teaching boys from the choir. At this time, Nanino was associated with Cardinal Montalto, a wealthy and influential patron of art and music, and may have served him as a teacher, composer, and archivist in his church of San Lorenzo in Damazo.

Since 1608 he worked in the music chapel of the church of San Lorenzo in Damazo. In particular, under a contract concluded with the Congregation of San Luigi and backed by an oath (“ ita promitto ”, autograph signature), Nanino must serve as the bandmaster and teacher of the music school for boys who study singing and composition. His responsibilities also included placement in his own house and keeping together with his own family of young students, usually four persons. The cost of clothing, treatment, and teaching materials, as well as the purchase of books, slate boards ("cartelle '), ink, pens, and more, were borne by the church. Outstanding Roman composers, including Gregorio and Domenico Allegri, Antonio, grew up under the guidance of Nanino. Cifra, Domenico Massentio, Vincenzo Ugolini and Paolo Agostini , who became his son-in-law.

In 1614, he was co-author of the work of brother Giovanni Maria Amor pudico.

Nanino died on May 21, 1618 and was buried in the church of San Vittore Martira in Vallerano.

Nanino's music of the eighties and nineties was written in a conservative manner, with the prevention of the experimental tendencies of his brother and Luca Marenzio and the background of the advantages of using the technique and expressive style of earlier Roman composers such as Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina.

After about 1610, he used the basso continuo technique — hardly a conservative tendency — in his sacred works — it is significant that his brother never did.

Most of his early works were secular (for example, madrigals), but after 1610, after the death of his brother, he also published several books of motets. There is an opinion that Nanino, composing music in the same format as his brother, deliberately chose the opposite stylistic means, and after the death of the latter he quickly adopted the modern progressive style, using it to create music in the same forms as his brother, expressive means which have become more conservative.

Sacred

• Motecta, 2-4vv Rome, 1610;
• Motecta, liber secundus, 1-5vv, bc, Rome, 1611;
• Motecta, liber tertius, 1-5vv, bc, Rome, 1612;
• Motecta, liber quartus, 1-5vv, bc, Rome, 1618;
• Salmi vespertini, Rome, 1620;
• Venite exultemus, 3vv, bc, Assisi, 1620;
• Laetatus sum, 8vv, bc;
• 10 mottetti, salmi, antifone;
• other sacred works.

Secular

• The first book of madrigals for 5 votes (Il primo libro de madrigali a 5 voci), Venice, 1588;
• The second book of madrigals for 5 votes (Il secondo libro de madrigali, 5vv), Venice, 1599;
• Third Book of Madrigals for 5 votes (Il terzo libro de madrigali, 5vv), Rome, 1612;
• 7 madrigals, for 5 votes 1586, 1587, 1589, 1592, 1598, 1599, 1607, 3 madrigali 1-3vv, 1595, 1621.

1. ↑ Musicalics
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