Stefano Bernardi

Biography

Stefano (or Steffano) Bernardi (18 March 1580 – 15 February 1637), also known as "il Moretto", was an Italian priest, composer and music theorist. Born in Verona and maestro di cappella at the Verona Cathedral from 1611 to 1622, he later moved to Salzburg, where he was responsible for the music at the Salzburg Cathedral and composed a Te Deum for 12 choirs performed at the cathedral's consecration in 1628.
Bernardi's career spanned the transition from late Renaissance music to early Baroque, with some of his works in the polyphonic style of Palestrina and others in the new stile concertato. He composed both sacred and secular music, including several masses and motets as well as sinfonias and three books of madrigals. He also wrote a treatise on counterpoint published in 1615.

Biography

Bernardi was born in Verona and educated at the Scuola Accolitale (Acolyte College) attached to the Verona Cathedral, where he also sang in the choir under Ippolito Baccusi. By 1602 he was a paid musician at the court of Count Mario Bevilacqua and at the Accademia Filarmonica in Verona. In 1606, the Accademia elevated his position to maestro della musica (Music Master). The following year Bernardi went to Rome for further training and stayed there for four years, becoming the maestro di cappella of Santa Maria ai Monti in 1610. He returned to Verona in 1611 when he was offered the same position at the Verona Cathedral as the successor to Francesco Anerio. He held that post until 1622 and during that time was also closely associated with the Accademia Filarmonica. He published a treatise on counterpoint, Porta musicale, in 1616 primarily for the students at the Scuola Accolitale where he also taught. Amongst his students in Verona in those years were Antonio Bertali and Pietro Verdina.
In 1622 Bernardi left Verona to take up a post as Director of Court Music to Archduke Carl Joseph, Bishop of Breslau and Brixen. Following the Archduke's death in 1624, Bernardi settled in Salzburg, where he was to become the Director of Court Music for Paris von Lodron, the Prince-Bishop of Salzburg, a position he held until 1634. As such, he was also deeply involved in the musical life of Salzburg Cathedral, where he was one of the first composers to introduce the new Italian stile concertato. For its consecration in 1628, Bernardi composed a Te Deum (music now lost) sung by twelve separate choirs placed in the various marble galleries of the cathedral. While in Salzburg, he was ordained a priest and also received a doctorate in canon and civil law. Towards the end of his life, Bernardi returned to Verona where he died in 1637.

Sacred music

Most works were published in Venice, and the years indicate publication dates.

Motecta for two to five voices (Rome, 1610)
Psalmi integri for four voices (Venice, 1613)
Motetti in cantilena for four voices (Venice, 1613)
Mass for four to five voices (Venice, 1615)
Missae octonis vocibus modulatae for eight voices (Venice, 1616)
Concerti sacri scielti, et trasportati dal secondo, et terzo libro de madrigali for five voices and organ (Venice, 1621)
Psalmi for eight voices, one with organ accompaniment (Venice, 1624)
Te Deum for 12 choirs (first performed on September 24, 1628 in the Salzburg Cathedral, music lost)
Missa primi toni octo vocum (1630)
Encomia sacra for two to six voices (Salzburg, 1634)
Salmi concertati for five voices (Venice, 1637)
Messe a otto voci for eight voices (Venice, 1638)

Secular music

Il primo libro de madrigali for three voices (Rome, 1611)
Il primo libro de madrigali for five voices (Venice, 1611)
Il secondo libro de madrigali for five voices (Venice, 1616)
Concerti academici con varie sorti di sinfonie for six voices (Venice, 1616)
Il terzo libro de madrigali for five voices concertati (Venice, 1619)
Madrigaletti for two to three voices, also contains several sonatas for three instruments—two violins or cornetts and one theorbo, trombone or fagotto (Venice, 1621)
Il terzo libro de madrigali for six voices concertati with several instrumental sonatas (Venice, 1624)

Writings

Porta musicale per la quale il principiante con facile brevità all'acquisto delle perfette regole del contrapunto vien introdotto (Verona, 1615)