Luzzasco Luzzaschi

Luzzasco Luzzaschi was born in Ferrara c. 1545 and was drawn to the major musical center at the Court of the Duke of Ferrara, Ercole II, headed by Cipriano da Rore. Ercole II died in 1559 and Cipriano was “let go” but Luzzaschi became a regular member of the musical establishmnt under Duke Alfonso II, becoming First Organist in 1564 and Director of Alfonso’s ‘musica da camera’ in 1570. A year later Luzzaschi published his ‘Il primo libro de madrigali a cinque voci’, the first of seven books of madrigals.

Luzzasco Luzzaschi was perhaps best known for his virtuoso keyboard playing (one of the best organists in Italy) . . . and as accompanist to the “concerto delle donne”, the three famous virtuoso women singers at the Ferrara Court whose repertoire is found in Luzzaschi’s ‘Madrigali per cantare et sonare a 1-3 soprani’ of 1601. Published after the fact . . . Luzzaschi had already left the Court, indeed the Court had disbanded and reverted to control of the Papal States in 1597. Luzzaschi died in 1607 . . . 80 musicians attended his funeral.