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In addition to the organ, also other instruments were used during solemn feasts
in the basilica in the first half of the 16th century. However, they did
not have a stable role in liturgical functions, but were instead only
used on special occasions. It was only starting in the second half of
the 16th century that they acquired a fixed, official role in the chapels.
The participation of instruments in liturgical music is widely certified,
and St. Mark's Basilica's predeliction for wind instrument groups is also
copiously documented. Choristers were also musicians at the end of the
15th century and beginning of the 16th century so if it was necessary,
instead of performing the part vocally, they were able to play it similarly.
Actually, the two techniques are similar and were learned simultaneously
during general music studies.
In his explanations preceding his 1587 "Concerti", Giovanni Gabrieli wrote
of "Musiche proportionate a voci, et Stromenti, come oggidi s'usa nelle
principali Chiese de Principi, et nelle Academie illustri" ("Music proportioned
to voices and instruments, as is used today in the leading churches of
princes and in the distinguished academies"), from which it is legitimate
to deduce that the use of instruments in the liturgical service depicts
a novelty restricted to the most important churches.
A purely instrumental execution is never mentioned in the documents. In
fact, all the elements lead us to think the instruments were used to support
the voices or that there was a mixed vocal and instrumental ensemble.
In Gentile Bellini's famous painting, Procession della croce in piazza
di San Marco (Procession in St. Mark's Square), groups of wind instrumentalists
are portrayed with cornets and trombones, a vocal group with an arm viol
player and a lute-player. The organ naturally could not be used in processions
and this consequently helped the instrumental group's execution. The participation
of wind instruments on these occasions is not documented in the records
of St. Mark's registers since the contracts were often drawn up orally.
The executions in religious music outdoors were always mixed - vocal and
instrumental - and so the use of musical forms only for instruments, such
as the ricercares and those relative to them, are to be ruled out. Like
the canzon da sonare (song to be played) and the capriccios, ricercares
are essentially chamber forms intended for a small audience. Their nature
derives from the very pleasure of the musicians. Afterwards, as is commonly
said, one went "from the chamber to the church", hence to a larger, more
spacious environment, and the new compositions were affected by the interlocutor's
change.
Numerous instrumental combinations, sound effects and great formal architectures
were tested in St. Mark's. Powerful wind instruments were selected in
various groups of our or five parts and were often countered to each other.
The ensembles communicated, blended together and contrasted each other
in different combinations. At times the parts reached very numerous groupings.
Also string instruments were introduced on a few occasions, though in
small numbers and rarely with lutes as well. The conflicts intensified
and the oppositions of the choirs grew in order to obtain a colouristic
interplay projected towards maximum splendour.
The choice of the instruments and voices depended on the type of songs
to be performed. Not only were vocal and instrumental groups mixed, but
voices and instruments were even brought together within the choir itself.
Gabrieli's "Symphonie Sacrae" of 1615 also could be performed "tam vocibus
quam instrumentis", but here the instruments did not reinforce the voices.
They were rather inserted into the dialogue and in many cases carried
out an autonomous role. Gabrieli added to a polychoral writing without
breaking with the past, reaching a new vocal and instrumental sensitivity
and forcefully grafting on past and contemporary musical experiences.
There was no break with the previous tradition, but rather an introduction
of new colours, timbres and multiple sound associations.
Thanks to his contribution, the instrumental language finally equalized
with the vocal language. After him, instrumental compositions were normally
published apart from the vocal production and in an increasingly higher
number.
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