Venetian School

A style of composition that developed in Venice during the 16th century, with the participation of several important organists from northern Europe.

The center of the Venetian school was the cathedral of St. Mark (San Marcos) with its magnificent architectural plan of symmetric enclaves, making it ideal for the performance of ANTIPHONAL choral works of truly STEREOPHONIC quality. The first acknowledged master presiding over the principal organ at San Marcos was Adrian Willaert, from Bruges, appointed maestro di capella (director of the church's music program) in 1527. He instructed the great Italian madrigalist ANDREA GABRIELI in the art of CHROMATIC MODULATION. In turn, Andrea taught his nephew GIOVANNI GABRIELI to adapt choral techniques to the treatment of the orchestra, especially in the contrasting alternation of massive sonorities, popularizing the ECHO.

A long series of great organists at St. Mark's included Claudio Merulo and the theorist GIOSEFFO ZARLINO. Undoubtedly, the Venetian school of composition, orchestration, and choral treatment exercised a profound influence on composers in Germany, among them Hieronymous Praetorius, MICHAEL PRAETORIUS, and Hans Leo Hassler. It was also a powerful influence on BAROQUE instrumental and choral music, at the same time that the Florentine DRAMMA PER MUSIC monopolized the development of OPERA.