La Quintina

Chiaroscuro in Verona

Mass and Lamentations by Paolo Fonghetti (1572-1630)

 

In 1586, Adriano Valerini published a book entitled Le Bellezze di Verona, an opportunity for the author to recall the geographical singularity of the city, the majestic character of some buildings, but also the importance of Verona in the field of liberal arts, The music in particular. Valerini cites, among the great musicians of Verona, Gabriel Martinengo, Pietro Cavatone, Vicenzo Ruffo and Marc-Antonio Ingegneri. To this list, we should also add Giovanni Matteo Asola, Giovanni Nasco or Ippolito Baccusi, musicians who have gravitated around two important institutions in Verona: the cathedral and its school, the scuola degli accoliti, as well as the Philharmonic Academy, which contributed to a major artistic effervescence in the 16th century. These two music centres also benefited from the teaching of a student from Baccusi, a certain Paolo Fonghetti. In 1595, he published lamentations for Holy Week and a three-part mass whose style reveals treasures of contrapuntal inventiveness. La Quintina continues its journey through the undiscovered corners of music history by unveiling a portrait of a forgotten musician from the late Renaissance.