A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Arcadelt, Jacob

ARCADELT, Jacob, one of the most prominent among the distinguished band of Netherland musicians who taught in Italy in the 16th century and saw the fruit of their labours in the foundation of the great Italian school. He was singing-master to the boys at St. Peter's, Rome, during the year 1539, and was admitted to the college of papal singers in 1540. Many masses and motets of Arcadelt are among the manuscripts of the papal chapel, but those of his works which were published during his life in Rome were entirely secular, and consisted chiefly of the famous madrigals which placed him at the head of the so-called "Venetian school" of madrigal writing. Five books of madrigals, each containing forty or fifty separate numbers, were printed in Venice, and many editions of these were published with great rapidity. An excellent copy of the first four books is in the library of the British Museum, and in the same library may be found a few of the many collections of madrigals which contain compositions by Arcadelt. In the year 1555 he entered the service of Cardinal Charles of Lorraine, duke of Guise, and went with him to Paris, where he probably ended his life. In Paris three books of his masses were published in 1557, and other sacred works appear in collections printed since he left Italy. It seems probable therefore that he devoted this second or Parisian period of his life to church composition, but it is as a madrigal writer that his name is most celebrated. Thus Pitoni, in speaking of the first book of madrigals, says that their exceedingly lovely and natural style caused them still to be sung in his time (1657–1743). Burney gives one, 'II bianca,' in his 'History' (iii. 303); and two to Michel Angelo's words 'Deh dimm' Amor,' and 'Io dico che fra voi,' will be found in Gotti's 'Vita di M.' (1875). An Ave Maria has been edited by Sir Henry Bishop and other English musicians, is quoted by Mr. Hullah in his musical lectures, and has been printed in the 'Musical Times' (No. 183); but the authorship is disputed. A Pater noster for 8 voices is given by Commer, 'Collectio,' viii. 21. [App. p.523 "See also ii. 188, where the beginning of 'Il bianco e dolce cigno' is given."]

[ J. R. S.-B. ]