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Book Review
Dec. 19th, 2021 09:49 pmSalamone Rossi: Jewish Musician In Late Renaissance Mantua
by Don Harrán
This book covers the life and works of Salamone Rossi, a Mantuan composer and the earliest known Jewish person to compose polyphonic vocal and instrumental works. Rossi straddled two worlds, creating secular and theatrical works for the Mantuan court as well as writing Hebrew songs and incidental music for the Jewish theater in Mantua. Harrán does an excellent job on all fronts. His biographical material includes discussions of how Rossi navigated the different demands of the court and the synagogue with regards to music and how he managed his life and work as a both a respected composer in Mantuan society and a member of a disliked minority. The discussions of Rossi's music are just what I always want from this kind of book: a look at overall techniques and features and their development over time. This was a wonderful examination of some great music as well as how the composer operated as an outsider who nonetheless found success in the musical mainstream of Renaissance Italy.
by Don Harrán
This book covers the life and works of Salamone Rossi, a Mantuan composer and the earliest known Jewish person to compose polyphonic vocal and instrumental works. Rossi straddled two worlds, creating secular and theatrical works for the Mantuan court as well as writing Hebrew songs and incidental music for the Jewish theater in Mantua. Harrán does an excellent job on all fronts. His biographical material includes discussions of how Rossi navigated the different demands of the court and the synagogue with regards to music and how he managed his life and work as a both a respected composer in Mantuan society and a member of a disliked minority. The discussions of Rossi's music are just what I always want from this kind of book: a look at overall techniques and features and their development over time. This was a wonderful examination of some great music as well as how the composer operated as an outsider who nonetheless found success in the musical mainstream of Renaissance Italy.
