Life
A hinge figure between two eras, his training was completed at the height of late-sixteenth-century Mannerism, while his artistic maturity was fully expressed in the first phase of the Baroque.
Scipione Cerreto was born in Naples in 1551 and lived for over eighty years. Despite his activity as a composer and lutenist, his name is primarily linked to his theoretical writings. His works are considered a precious testimony to musical practice at the beginning of the seventeenth century.
In 1601, he published the treatise Della prattica musica vocale et strumentale in Naples, which was later re-edited in 1611. In 1608, he also published Dell'arbore musicale in Naples. Furthermore, he left two important manuscripts: Dialoghi armonici pel contrapunto e per la compositione (1626) and Dialogo armonico... di tutte le regole del contrappunto et anco della compositione de più voci, de' canoni, delle proportioni, et d'altri (1631).
Cerreto was a staunch defender of the traditional eight-mode system, rejecting the twelve-mode system supported by Glareanus.
Aneddoto
A life dedicated to theory
Although he was also a composer and a skilled lutenist, most of the information we have about Scipione Cerreto comes from his theoretical works, which are considered fundamental for understanding the musical practice of his time.Works
Scipione Cerreto's fame derives mainly from his music theory treatises. In 1601 he printed Della prattica musica vocale et strumentale. Later, in 1608, he published Dell'arbore musicale. In addition to these, two of his manuscripts, Dialoghi armonici pel contrapunto e per la compositione from 1626 and the Dialogo armonico... from 1631, represent further testimony to his keen interest in music theory. His production as a composer is minimal, and very little of his music has come down to us.
Briciole di storia
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