Life
A hinge figure between two eras, his training was completed at the height of late-sixteenth-century Mannerism, while his artistic maturity expressed itself fully in the first phase of the Baroque.
Camillo Cortellini was born in Bologna on January 24, 1561, into a family of musicians. His father Gaspare, known as “il viola,” worked for the Concerto Palatino of the Signoria and passed on to his son both his musical art and his nickname, which in the version “il violino” (the violin) accompanied him throughout his life. Camillo received his first lessons directly from his father and from the city's musical environment, frequenting prominent figures such as Alfonso Ganassi.
The first official record of his activity dates back to February 26, 1577, when he joined the Concerto della Signoria, replacing his father. After a brief period in Mantua, of which little news remains, Cortellini returned to Bologna and established himself with the publication of three books of madrigals between 1583 and 1586, which revealed his talent and ability to confront the most refined genre of secular music of the time.
From the 1590s, he turned decisively toward sacred music, likely also for practical and economic reasons. In 1593 he was appointed a cantor of the chapel of San Petronio, where he served until his death, with a brief interruption between 1608 and 1610. His sacred production includes masses, psalms, magnificats, and litanies, collections that were published between 1595 and 1627.
Cortellini was also a member of the Accademia dei Filomusi, a Bolognese institution led by Adriano Banchieri, which he joined after 1622. This connection placed him in a circle of intellectuals and musicians that included personalities of European stature such as Claudio Monteverdi. He died in Bologna in 1630, leaving behind a significant musical heritage that, while still little studied, testifies to the vitality of the city's tradition between the Renaissance and the seventeenth century.
His name remains linked to two firsts: he was the author of the first work printed in Bologna (the second book of madrigals in 1584, published by Giovanni Rossi) and in 1617 he published the first collection of concertato masses printed in the city, enriched by a warning clarifying the performance methods. These initiatives show his attention to both the artistic and practical aspects of musical dissemination.
Aneddoto
“The Violin” inherited from his father
From a young age, Camillo was called “il violino,” a nickname inherited from his father Gaspare, known as “il viola.” This curious transition of musical names became part of his identity, accompanying him throughout his career and making him familiar to Bolognese circles.Works
Between 1583 and 1586, Cortellini published three books of madrigals: the First Book of Madrigals for 5 and 6 voices (Ferrara, 1583), the Second Book of Madrigals for 5 voices (Bologna, 1584), and the Third Book of Madrigals for 5 voices (Ferrara, 1586). The latter is known today through modern editions and recordings.
Sacred production began with the Psalms for 6 voices (Venice, 1595), followed by the Psalms for 8 voices and organ for the Vespers of the whole year (Venice, 1606) and the 8 Magnificats for 6 voices (Venice, 1607). In 1609 he published the Masses for 4, 5, 6, and 8 voices and organ on ecclesiastical tones, a collection that highlights his attention to the liturgical repertoire.
The Litanies of the Blessed Virgin for 5, 6, 7, and 8 voices (Venice, 1615) represent one of the most important tests of his career. Two years later he published the Concertato Masses for 8 voices (Venice, 1617), considered the first example of this genre in Bologna. A second collection with the same title was published in 1626.
In 1627 he composed the Actions represented in music for the Feast of the Porchetta of Bologna, today known only through the libretto. This testimony shows how he was also involved in occasional music linked to city celebrations.
His works, reprinted several times and recovered in modern editions, demonstrate an author attentive to both experimentation and the practical needs of performers and ecclesiastical institutions. Contemporary discography has rediscovered his madrigals and some masses, revealing current interest in a composer who was a reference point for musical Bologna between the 16th and 17th centuries.