Giovanni Gastoldi

Gastoldi was born in the Lombardy town of Caravaggio around 1554, about 20 years before the painter whose name reflects his birthplace. Gastoldi spent all his known working life in the service of the Gonzaga family in Mantua; gradually working up to be the replacement of Giachas de Wert as maestro di cappella of the Ducal chapel of S. Barbara in 1592.

Although he was a church musician all his life he is best known for his ‘balletti’, which are light, direct, simple dance-songs that use nonsense syllables like “Fa-la-la”. (Madrigals don’t generally use “Fa-la-las”.). The form became popular North of the Alps, even adopted by Thomas Morley and others as ‘balletts’ in England.

Monteverdi was also in the Gonzagas’ service from 1589 as a viol player and later as composer. At the wedding of the Duke’s son in 1608 Monteverdi ‘L’Arianna’ was first performed, and Giovanni Gastoldi wrote one of the intermedii for Guarini’s play, ‘L’Idropica’, as part of the festivities. Quite a talent pool the Gonzagas had!