Lorenzo Ratti Explained

Lorenzo Ratti (c. 1589–1630) was an Italian baroque composer originating from Perugia. His parents were Girolamo and Isapaola Ugolini.^[1] His uncle and teacher was Vincenzo Ugolini.^[2] He was the predecessor of Carissimi at the Collegium Germanicum^[3] and furthermore he was a teacher of Orazio Benevoli.^{[4] [5]}

Biography

Obviously born in Perugia in 1589 or 1590 the dates and places of his birth and death are not quite clear. Some sources like François-Joseph Fétis mention a village called Loreto in the surrounding of Naples as his place of birth, but Robert Eitner does not agree and claims Perugia to be Ratti's place of birth. Also an obviously originally in 1632 signed sheet of music makes his dying date seem to be doubtful.^[6]

First he was mentioned in 1598/99 as a boy soprano of the ''Cappella Giulia di S. Pietro'' in Rome and later on he is the third organist there. For a short time he was the first organist of the dome of Perugia (1613–1616). Returning to Rome he advanced to be the director of music of several ensembles. His best known employments had been at S. Luigi dei Francesi as the teacher of Orazio Benevoli^[7] and that of the director of music at the Collegium Germanicum at S. Loreto. At last he succeeded Antonio Cifra as the director of music at Santa Casa di Loreto.

Works, editions and recordings

He composed lots of sacral works. Very well known are his six Gospel Dialogues for the oratory.^{[8] [9]} He is claimed to have composed 157 motets. Furthermore, he created a so-called dramma harmonico:

• Missa Zacharia a 16
• 6 Dialogues for the Oratory
• Sacrae modulationes 1628^[10]
• Il Ciclope overo Della vendetta d’Apolline

Eitner also mentioned several works including their state of conservation and their location (partly translated and shortened):

• Motecta 2, 3, 4 et 5 voc. lib. 1.; Roma 1617 Zanetti., Caecilia in Rome complete. B. B: C 1. 2. B.
• Sacrae Modulationes nunc primum in lucem editae Pars I./II., (not complete), Bologna, Kremsmünster, 1628 Aless. Vincentius
• Litaniae beatiss. V. M. 5, 6, 7, 8 et 12 voc. una c. B. ad org. Ven. 1630 Aless. Vincentius
• Cantica Salomonis. Binis, ternis, 4nis, acquinis vocibus concinenda. 1632
• Di Lorenzo R... nepote e discepolo di Vinc. Ugolini. Il 1. lib. de Madrigali a 5 voci, 1615 G. Vincenti. Neapel.
• Alfieri, Bd.2, S. 65. Jesu cordis solatium 5 voc.
• O Domine Jesu Christe, (2 copies) .
• Cap. lat.: Missa sine nom. a 4 cori (4 Org. u. 4 voci per coro).
• Cap. sistina, Cod. 220, Ecce panis angelicus 5 voc.
• Kremsmünster, Cod. Lechler "einige Tonsätze" (= "some compositions").
• "In alten Samlwk. im Druck" (= "collection to be printed"): In Dom. Bianchi's Sacrarum modulat. 1642: Transfige. — In Sammaruco's Sacri affetti 1625: Salve virgo sacra parens 4 voc. concert.

Further reading

• Oratorios of the Italian baroque, I, a cura di H.E. Smither, Laaber 1985, pp. 172–231
• Robert Eitner: Biographisch-bibliographisches Quellen-Lexikon der Musiker und Musikgelehrten. Breitkopf & Haertel, Leipzig 1900
• F. J. Fétis, Biogr. univ. des musiciens, Paris 1873

Notes and References

1. https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/lorenzo-ratti_(Dizionario-Biografico)/, Noel O'Regan - Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani - Volume 86 (2016), RATTI, Lorenzo
2. François Joseph Fétis, Biographie universelle des musiciens et bibliographie générale de la musique, Tome Premier, Bruxelles 1837, p.135
3. Howard E. Smither A history of the oratorio p218 - 1977 "The performance of such music during Mass is by no means out of the question, for as early as 1618 Lorenzo Ratti, Carissimi's predecessor at the German College, had indicated that some of his dialogues were intended to be substitutes ..."
4. Musical humanism and its legacy: essays in honor of Claude V. Palisca p290 Claude V. Palisca, Nancy Kovaleff Baker, Barbara Russano Hanning - 1992 until he succeeded in appointing Lorenzo Ratti (c. 1590-1630) in 1620. Ratti, though absent for one interval of nearly two years, remained in office until 1628. Rector Castorio must have encouraged him to carry on and extend the use of ...
5. The new Grove dictionary of music and musicians: Stanley Sadie, John Tyrrell - 2001
6. Robert Eitner; Biographisch - Bibliographisches. Quellen-Lexikon. der. Musiker und Musikgelehrten. der. christlichen Zeitrechnung bis zur Mitte  des  neunzehnten  Jahrhunderts, 8. Band. Po—Scheiffler, Leipzig, Breitkopf & Haertel. 1903, p.136
7. Robert Eitner: Biographisch-bibliographisches Quellen-Lexikon der Musiker und Musikgelehrten. 1. Band. Breitkopf & Haertel, Leipzig 1900, S. 445 f. .
8. Studien zur italienisch-deutschen Musikgeschichte: Friedrich Lippmann SIX GOSPEL DIALOGUES FOR THE OFFERTORY BY LORENZO RATTI ed. by Regina Chauvin (New Orleans) Few details are known about Lorenzo Ratti's1 life and ... 2) For more biographical information see: Paul K ast, Lorenzo Ratti, in: MGG, XI, col. ...
9. Jesuits and music ...: A study of the musicians connected with the ...Thomas D. Culley - 1970 - After Costa's departure, Lorenzo Ratti returned for another term as maestro di cappella. ... There it was noted: "To Signor Lorenzo Ratti, maestro di cappella, [for] his provision . . . fifty- seven [scudi]" (Doc. 209). ...
10. Listening as Spiritual Practice in Early Modern Italy p23 Andrew Dell'Antonio - 2011 The most substantial collection of concerted music for the Mass Proper— the Sacrae modulationes published by Lorenzo Ratti, chapel master at the Jesuit Collegio Germanico, in 1628, probably under Barberini sponsorship— contains a full