Structure and Interpretation in Luca Marenzio's Settings of Il Pastor Fido
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STRUCTURE AND INTERPRETATION IN LUCA MARENZIO’S SETTINGS OF IL PASTOR FIDO Seth J. Coluzzi A dissertation submitted to the faculty of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Music. Chapel Hill 2007 Approved by: Tim Carter Sean Gallagher James Haar Severine Neff Massimo Ossi Abstract Seth J. Coluzzi: Structure and Interpretation in Luca Marenzio’s Settings of Il pastor fido (Under the direction of Tim Carter) Battista Guarini’s Il pastor fido (1590) holds a prominent place in the history of the Italian madrigal. Originating in the settings of Luca Marenzio and Giaches de Wert in 1594–95, the Pastor fido madrigal tradition stretches well into the seventeenth century and involves nearly every major madrigalist of the time. This study of Marenzio’s Pastor fido settings first considers the cultural and historical milieu that surrounded the composer in 1590s Rome—the literary debates, patronage, and the interactions of various intellectuals associated with the play (including Guarini, Torquato Tasso, Cinzio Aldobrandini, Scipione Gonzaga, and Leonardo Salviati)—and the effects this setting potentially had on his work. Detailed analyses of his Pastor fido (and other) madrigals then examine Marenzio’s treatment of Guarini’s poetry, elucidating how structure and text are integrated in his works to produce musical readings that are highly sophisticated and show remarkable sensitivity to the details of the poem. At the same time, the study reexamines our understanding of mode and how modal music operates. Following a review of prevailing perceptions of mode and musical structure in pre-Baroque music, a new approach to the analysis of late- Renaissance polyphony is developed by incorporating principles of sixteenth-century ii theory into the notions of hierarchical and teleological structure of Schenkerian analysis. This analytical system recognizes the text and music as central elements of the music’s structure, and deals with pre-tonal music in a way that is both effective and historically accountable. Finally, this dissertation calls into question current views of the broader function of the madrigal in music history, and of how the madrigal functioned as a rendering of the lyric io for its contemporary readership. The analyses of Marenzio’s (and Wert’s) madrigals demonstrate the ability of the madrigal to project and accommodate at once multiple interpretative dimensions. This presentation of the text proves entirely lyric in nature, and stands distinctly apart from the dramatic mode of presentation of monody. The madrigal, therefore, is viewed as a viable and exceptionally intuitive vehicle for the handling of lyric poetry, and not as a striving precursor in the development of dramma per musica. iii To my brother Matt iv Acknowledgements The music and poetry of Renaissance Italy has been a central part of my life for some time now. Through such a period, it is almost without question that life will yield many experiences, both enjoyable and challenging, yet often unexpected, and always enlightening. I have been very fortunate through the development of this study of Marenzio’s Pastor fido madrigals to find myself surrounded by many remarkable people, whose encouragement, direction, and generosity have been invaluable, and to whom I owe the most sincere thanks. Music has stood at the heart of my family for several generations: my grandfathers have been practicing musicians (a church organist and a jazz saxophonist) their entire lives, my parents met in music school, and, inevitably, my siblings and I inherited their musical genes. Beyond our common passion for the art, my family has shown unending interest in my work as a scholar, and has truly been the foundation of my support. I thank most of all my parents, Linda and Richard, my sister Chrissy, and my brother Tory, who have always been there to leap to my assistance at a moment’s notice. In the Department of Music at Chapel Hill, I have found a continual source of guidance and assurance. I must, therefore, thank the members of the music faculty— especially Professors John Covach (now at the University of Rochester), Annegret Fauser, Jon Finson, and Sarah Weiss (now at Yale University)—for their valuable insight v and advice during my time as a graduate student. Above all, I would like to recognize Professor John Nádas, who was the first to welcome me to Chapel Hill, and who has remained by my side ever since. Professor Nádas has shown extraordinary kindness and concern not only for my development academically, but for my wellbeing, and on more than one occasion he has helped pull me out of a tight spot, particularly in the final stages of this project. Much of what I have accomplished in the past years has been with the assistance of the staff of the Music Department. I am very grateful to Paul Cole, Glenn McDonald, Angeline Warren, and Susan Williams for often making life flow so much more smoothly. I also express my true appreciation for the team at the Music Library— Eva Boyce, Carrie Monette, Diane Steinhaus, and Philip Vandermeer—for their unwavering willingness to assist with whatever conundrum or appeal I could throw at them. During my tenure in Chapel Hill, some of the most memorable aspects of my life have involved the performance of ballet and music. The Ballet School of Chapel Hill has been extremely generous in allowing me to take classes and providing many opportunities to perform, and for offering odd jobs to keep me afloat financially. The Ballet School has been the grounds of many lasting friendships and much joy, and more than anything has represented a place that felt like home. My heartfelt thanks go to Carol Richard, Julie and Tyler Walters, M’liss Dorrance, Denny Lambert, Diane Eilber and the rest of the Ballet School faculty, whose ability, ingenuity, and knowledge has made dance a source of both constant challenge and immeasurable reward. As a singer–songwriter, it is unusual to find a place that supports original music and local artists with such vigor and steadfastness as The Cave. With their policy of no vi covers, The Cave is truly an institution for songwriters not only in North Carolina, but for the eastern U. S. I thank the workers as well as the “rats” at The Cave—especially the owner, “Mr. Mouse”—for always leaving the microphone on for me. I must also thank my colleagues in UNC Academic Advising, beside whom I worked as a part-time advisor in 2001–2006. Cheryl Junk, Barb Stenross, Lou Anne Phelps, Marilyn Wyrick, Minda Brooks, and many others have always been accommodating not only to my questions regarding curriculum requirements and non- medical withdrawals for undergraduate advisees, but also to the demands of my research; and I appreciate the support and inspiration they have always offered. Whether writing, reading, or poring over a madrigal score, I could often be spotted at the local coffee shop, which served as my primary evening office. Many thanks to the baristas who kept my cup endlessly full and consistently “forgot” to charge me: Ian Curl, Charles Devico, Stewart Kyle, Jesse Mansbacher, Alex Neurenberg, and Drew Taylor. I am tremendously privileged to have had in my dissertation committee such an exceptional team of scholars. It is to Massimo Ossi in my years as an undergraduate at the University of Rochester that I owe my fondness of the madrigal. Professor Ossi’s deep awareness of the field, and the dynamism with which he taught it, instilled in me a profound and lasting appreciation for the music and culture of Renaissance Italy. It has been an enormous pleasure to continue working with Professor Ossi as a doctoral student. Sean Gallagher is a scholar of unbounded enthusiasm. In working with him in graduate seminars, for my PhD written exams, and with my master’s thesis on the music of Wagner and Liszt, Professor Gallagher’s genuine interest in and respect for the music vii of all eras has been admirable and inspiring. I am grateful for Professor Gallagher’s willingness to serve as an external member of my committee, and for his continued interest in the direction of my work. In Severine Neff I have found the most encouraging and generous of scholars. Our many discussions over lunch in Chapel Hill and out at “the ranch” are some of the most memorable occasions of my graduate career, and her theoretical insight and eagerness to lend assistance have been invaluable. I extend the deepest of thanks to Professor Neff. The opportunity to work with James Haar throughout my time in Chapel Hill has been indispensable to my development as a musicologist. Dr. Haar’s sensitivity to the music and its surrounding culture has had a profound influence on my approach to musical research, and his depth and versatility of knowledge is something to which every scholar must aspire. It was always with great anticipation that I would look forward to our meetings over espresso to deliberate the Renaissance and its music, and for these opportunities, and for his contributions to this study, I am extremely grateful. Through the completion of this study, Tim Carter has gone well beyond what I ever would have expected and asked for from a dissertation advisor. The influence Professor Carter has had on my thinking is vast, and his support, patience, and guidance over the years have been unfailing. Our discussions, and sometimes debates, about sixteenth-century music and culture were always invigorating, and the inquisitiveness and creativity with which Professor Carter probes into the materials and minds of the past has revealed new and important dimensions to my own research.