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Lute music gradually ‘went out of fashion,’ as Thomas Mace, himself a composer for the lute, remarked, because it was ‘a very chargeable instrument’ and ‘the hardest instrument in the world.’ In the meantime certain composers were writing chamber music for which no special instrument was indicated. Of this class of instrumental compositions we may mention especially aCanzon da sonare a 4, by Florentino Maschera from hisLibro primo de canzoni da sonare a 4(1593). It is calledLa Capriolaand is written for basso, tenore, alto, e canto. Maschera’s canzonas are among the earliest printed specimens ofindependent instrumental compositions. Their phrase structure is very irregular. One canzona, for instance, has an introduction of twenty-one measures, followed by a longer piece of six periods of 22, 21, 18, 19, and 23 measures. On the whole, Maschera’s instrumental compositions are vocal in character and polyphonic in style. Almost the same may be said of theCanzoniandSacræ Symphoniæof Giov. Gabrieli (1597), although hisSonata con tre violini and canzoni a 6(two violins,cornetto,tenore,tromboneand bass) (1615) show an advance in instrumental writing. In Gabrieli’sSonata piano e forte, we meet for the first time the term ‘Sonata.’ This composition is scored for a double choir of instruments, the first consisting of a cornet and three trombones, and the second of a violin and three trombones. These two choirs are employed antiphonally. Gabrieli usually preferred to score his sonatas and canzonas for eight instruments in two choirs, but not infrequently he wrote from four to twenty-two parts in one or three choirs.
Lute music gradually ‘went out of fashion,’ as Thomas Mace, himself a composer for the lute, remarked, because it was ‘a very chargeable instrument’ and ‘the hardest instrument in the world.’ In the meantime certain composers were writing chamber music for which no special instrument was indicated. Of this class of instrumental compositions we may mention especially aCanzon da sonare a 4, by Florentino Maschera from hisLibro primo de canzoni da sonare a 4(1593). It is calledLa Capriolaand is written for basso, tenore, alto, e canto. Maschera’s canzonas are among the earliest printed specimens ofindependent instrumental compositions. Their phrase structure is very irregular. One canzona, for instance, has an introduction of twenty-one measures, followed by a longer piece of six periods of 22, 21, 18, 19, and 23 measures. On the whole, Maschera’s instrumental compositions are vocal in character and polyphonic in style. Almost the same may be said of theCanzoniandSacræ Symphoniæof Giov. Gabrieli (1597), although hisSonata con tre violini and canzoni a 6(two violins,cornetto,tenore,tromboneand bass) (1615) show an advance in instrumental writing. In Gabrieli’sSonata piano e forte, we meet for the first time the term ‘Sonata.’ This composition is scored for a double choir of instruments, the first consisting of a cornet and three trombones, and the second of a violin and three trombones. These two choirs are employed antiphonally. Gabrieli usually preferred to score his sonatas and canzonas for eight instruments in two choirs, but not infrequently he wrote from four to twenty-two parts in one or three choirs.
In comparing Gabrieli with Maschera we get the impression that while Maschera’s canzonas are song-like, Gabrieli’s polyphonic style represents rudimentary symphonic music.
A link in the evolution of chamber music form is to be found in theFantasie overo Canzoni alla Francese per suonare nell’organo ed altri stromenti musicali a 4, by Adriano Banchieri (1603). In some of these pieces the first part corresponds with the third, the second part appearing as a kind of middle movement, an arrangement that shows the elements of the three-part form of the modern sonata.
We have seen that chamber music included dances (single and in suites) and compositions of free invention. The names of the former class of pieces clearly expressed and described the character of the music. The terms applied to compositions of free invention,however, were not strictly defined, and compositions with scarcely any difference between them were variously entitled Sonata, Fantasia, Simphonia and Canzona. To illustrate the uncertain terminology of the time we may quote the following from Prætorius’Syntagma Musicum(1618): ‘In my personal opinion there is still some difference between Sonatas and Canzonas. Namely, Sonatas contain serious, solemn and pompous music, in the manner of Motettes; while the Canzonas briskly, quickly, and merrily pass away.’ Sometimes, however, the term ‘Sonata’ conveyed the idea of music that was played at banquets and for dancing.
Currently with the rise of music of free invention, dances and suites were further cultivated, as we see from the large number of such compositions extant. The dances of Melchior Franck (1603) were sometimes of polyphonic phraseology, sometimes of lively flowing melodies, with irregular structure, and we find a Galliarde by Johann Ghro (1604) consisting of periods of 13—11—11 measures. Similar pieces by Brade (1607), Thomas Simpson (1617), Erasmus Widman (1618), and others, showed more or less skill in handling their musical materials. Besides single dances, we find also several interesting and valuable collections of suites. I. H. Schein’sBanchetto musicale, 1617, a series of twenty suites, contains very characteristic examples of the suite in five movements. We may quote here the beginnings of the five movements of his tenth suite:
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Similar to Schein’s suites in the character of their variations are those by Paul Bäuerl, edited six years earlier. Variations in suites were so popular that in a work by Andreas Hammerschmidt (1639) the author gave instructions for playing ‘Gaillarde on the 1, 2, 7, Pavane.’ Change in the order and in the number of the single movements is to be found in the suites of Johann Neubauer (1649). They contain only four movements, Pavane, Gaillarde, Balletto, and Courante. The Balletto stands for the Allemanda and Tripla, having two parts, the first in common, the second in triple, time.
The four movement form of suite was adopted by Froberger (1649), and by K. Briegel (1652). After the middle of the century composers began to include in their suites movements that were not dances, such as Canzonas, Symphonias, Sonatas, Sonatinas or Præludia. The earliest examples of those are by I. R. Ahle (1650), Martin Rubert, Joh. Jak. Löwe (1658), Diedrich Becker (Musikalische Frühlingsfrüchte, 1668), Joh. Rosenmüller (Sonata da camera, 1667), Joh. Petzolds (Leipzigische Abendmusik, 1669), Esajas Reusser (Suites for two violins with continuo, containing the following movements: Allemande, Courante, Sarabande or Gavotte, Gigue, with an Adagio—called Sonata—as introduction, 1670). Thus through the mixture of ‘suites’ with ‘sonatas’ the way was prepared for the classical chamber-sonata.
It must not be forgotten that an important part of early chamber music consisted of various compositions in the form of vocal pieces—madrigals, canons, rounds, and catches. As far as we know the earliest printed collection of such music extant is a volume entitledPammelia(o)Musicks Misscellane(1609). The mixedvariety of these ‘pleasant and delightful Roundelays’ shows skillful counterpoint and good harmony. The names of the composers are not mentioned in the book, but since the style of the compositions suggests great antiquity, this collection may represent the oldest printed vocal chamber music. With the striking progress of instrumental music, purely vocal compositions were less and less used as chamber music, since instruments were being used to play in unison with the voices. Such performances were calledconcertati. Significant vocal compositions with instrumental accompaniments were produced by Peri (1561-1633) and Caccini (d. 1618), whoseCantate da cameraorMadrigali da camerawere mostly pieces for a single voice accompanied by a single instrument. On the whole, however, it is not necessary to emphasize the vocal music here, since chamber music as we know it today represents a purely instrumental development.
We have already referred to Gabrieli’s use of the term sonata and to the first specimens of canzonas. Besides these we may mention aCanzon francese a rispostaby Viadana (1602) for ‘violino, cornetto, two tromboni, and basso continuo.’ The parts of the instruments that lead the melodies are handled here as in a dialogue. The treatment of the melody is monodic rather than contrapuntal.
Of much more interest and value are aSonata in dialogofor violin, with basso continuo, and aSonata detto la moderna, from theVarie Sonate(1613) of Salomone Rossi. Rossi’s sonatas contain good examples of variations on a basso ostinato (Sopra l’Aria della RomanescaandSopra l’Aria di Ruggiero). The basses, however, are not always strictly carried out. Rossi also cultivated variations on melodies not in the bass. He is noted for his first attempts in the form of the trio sonata (two violins withbasso continuo), where, as in his simpler and shorter ‘Sinfonias,’ thehomophonic style is predominant. His compositions have thematic unity, and he sometimes demands the changing of histempi(Si replica l’ultima parte ma piu presto).
Similar to Rossi’s trio sonatas are those by Buonamente (1626), who is likewise fond of variations and of writing in dialogues for two violins. In hisSonate a 3(for two violins and string-bass) the bass has a more important rôle than a mere accompaniment; it also helps to carry the themes, showing a tendency toward independent movement. A sonata (113 measures long) arouses our interest by the development of the first three notes of its themep475-score1that reappears in the following mannerp375-score2reminding us of the C minor symphony of Beethoven. Some of Buonamente’s sonatas end with the complete form of the original themes as if to unify the whole composition—a characteristic we again find in Beethoven (i.e., at the end of the first movement of the eighth symphony). The single themes and the lack of variety in tempi lend a certain monotony to Buonamente’s compositions, though otherwise they are very interesting.
Another writer of sonatas in Rossi’s manner is Francesco Turini (Tanto tempo hormai, 1624). His compositions, too, are in the form of variation suites, where the same bass, with slight changes in rhythm and character, is used in all movements. For the sake of completeness we may also mention G. Allegri’s sonatas for four string instruments, which may be considered crude early specimens of the string quartet.
An important advance in chamber music compositions is marked by B. Marini, who introduced into the trio sonata a second theme, contrasting strongly inrhythm with the first. This new second theme is announced simultaneously with the first when the latter appears for the second time thus:
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Marini is also notable for the use of chromatics in his later works (1651) and his effective instrumental writing. He did not, however, lay special stress upon developing the idea of the new theme nor upon giving more independence to the two leading instruments. Frescobaldi also failed to recognize the possibilities of the second motive in his trio sonatas (1628). The idea, however, was well developed by Tarquinio Merula (especially in a sonata calledLa Pedrina, 1637), whose works (Canzoni da sonar, 1615,Canzoni overo Sonate concertate da chiesa e camera a 2 e 3, 1637, etc.) show not only more proficiency in instrumental writing, but also greater independence in the single parts and more individuality in the bass parts. Merula’s compositions have a sort of jovial humor, and on the whole they produce a more satisfactory general effect than those of his predecessors.
Of minor importance are theSinfonie ad uno e duoi violini, a duoi trombone, con il partimento per l’organo con alcune quattro viole, 1629, by Mont’Albano, and the few chamber music compositions (besides solo sonatas) by Fontana (1630, 1641), whose graceful melodies are suggestive of the coming era. In further developing the forms of chamber music (mostly in trio sonatas) an important place belongs to Maurizio Cazzati (d. 1677), who is distinguished especially for his clear-cut melodies. The following from his sonata,La Lucilla(1648), is a good example:
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Here the contrasting second theme is brought in beforethe exposition of the first is completed.La Lucillahas repose and thoughtfulness instead of the restlessness usual in similar compositions. It is in four parts and ends with the first theme without the contrasting second motive.