Bartolino da Padova (Magister Frater Bartolinus de Padua, ca.1365 - 1405) was a composer of the late Trecento, which is also known as the Italian Ars Nova.
In its forms the Trecento was influenced early on by the secular songs of the Troubadours some of whom had sought refuge from the Albigensian Crusade in Northern Italy. Texturally the discant style of the old conductus may have had some influence. The innovations of Marchetto da Padova--tuning, chromaticism, and rhythmic or "Italian" notation--further defined the Trecento. (1)
The principal form of the late Trecento remained the ballata (ballad), and there was a renewed interest in the madrigal and in Italian notation. Ornamentation of the parts became simpler in some works, but remained intricate in others. There is some evidence of text-painting. Although mostly thought of as a secular music style, many sacred works have now been discovered, o.a. by the Liégeois Johannes Ciconia who was active at Padua Cathedral while Bartolino was active at the House of Carrara, then in its heyday.
Let's listen to three intricate, two-part madrigals.
Imperial sedendo fra più stelle (1401) performed by Ensemble Organum.
Qual legge move la volubil rota (Which law moves the voluble wheel) sung by two members of Ensemble Stygmata.
Per Un Verde Boschetto (By the green grove) performed by singers of the same ensemble with instrumentation based on iconography of the time. (4)
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(1) In reality not many Trecento compositions survive in the Italian notation. "Music of the Trecento." Wikipedia page. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_the_Trecento (01/14/2015))
(2) Pier Luigi Petrobelli, "BARTOLINO da Padova."Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani - Volume 6 (1964), Treccani.it website. (http://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/bartolino-da-padova_(Dizionario-Biografico)/ (01/14/2015))
(3) Pier Luigi Petrobelli, ib.
(4) James Manheim, "Rosa e Orticha: Music of the Trecento." CD review, AllMusic.com. (http://www.allmusic.com/album/rosa-e-orticha-music-of-the-trecento-mw0002257632 (01/14/2015))
In its forms the Trecento was influenced early on by the secular songs of the Troubadours some of whom had sought refuge from the Albigensian Crusade in Northern Italy. Texturally the discant style of the old conductus may have had some influence. The innovations of Marchetto da Padova--tuning, chromaticism, and rhythmic or "Italian" notation--further defined the Trecento. (1)
The principal form of the late Trecento remained the ballata (ballad), and there was a renewed interest in the madrigal and in Italian notation. Ornamentation of the parts became simpler in some works, but remained intricate in others. There is some evidence of text-painting. Although mostly thought of as a secular music style, many sacred works have now been discovered, o.a. by the Liégeois Johannes Ciconia who was active at Padua Cathedral while Bartolino was active at the House of Carrara, then in its heyday.
... although the notation is Italian, the musical style, especially the rhythmic complexities in each voice and the melodic discourse between them, points to a decline of the autonomous Italian tradition and an openness to the new international style.(2)Not much is known of Bartolino's life. Headers to his works in a few codices indicate that he was a monk. The early fifteenth century Squarcialupi Codex, which contains 37 of his works, shows an image of a Carmelite monk. This member of a contemplative order survives in 27 secular Ballads and 11 Madrigals. From allusions in the texts to historical figures' heraldic emblems and encrypted names, we know that Bartolino served the Carraresi, and that a supposed stay in Florence probably did not take place.
Let's listen to three intricate, two-part madrigals.
Imperial sedendo fra più stelle (1401) performed by Ensemble Organum.
which speaks of the Saracen with golden wings, the crest of Francesco Novello da Carrara and must have been composed for the appointment of this prince as commander of the imperial army. (3)
Qual legge move la volubil rota (Which law moves the voluble wheel) sung by two members of Ensemble Stygmata.
Per Un Verde Boschetto (By the green grove) performed by singers of the same ensemble with instrumentation based on iconography of the time. (4)
___________________________________________________________________________
(1) In reality not many Trecento compositions survive in the Italian notation. "Music of the Trecento." Wikipedia page. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_the_Trecento (01/14/2015))
(2) Pier Luigi Petrobelli, "BARTOLINO da Padova."Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani - Volume 6 (1964), Treccani.it website. (http://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/bartolino-da-padova_(Dizionario-Biografico)/ (01/14/2015))
(3) Pier Luigi Petrobelli, ib.
(4) James Manheim, "Rosa e Orticha: Music of the Trecento." CD review, AllMusic.com. (http://www.allmusic.com/album/rosa-e-orticha-music-of-the-trecento-mw0002257632 (01/14/2015))