Giovanni Animuccia ( c. 1520 – c. 20 March 1571 ) was an Italian composer of the Renaissance and was involved in the heart of Rome ’ s liturgical musical life, and one of Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina's most important contemporaries.

Animuccia was born in Florence, where, despite his prominence as a composer in Rome ( where he died ) he spent the first thirty years of his life.

Animuccia ’ s name is also mentioned in association with Florentine literary circles, suggesting that he was involved with cultural life in Florence.

After his arrival in Rome, Animuccia was employed by Cardinal Guido Ascanio Sforza.

At the same time as writing music for the Oratory, Animuccia was employed ( from January 1555 ) as the magister cantorum of the Capella Giulia at St. Peter's Basilica.

Palestrina, who was Animuccia ’ s predecessor at the Capella Giulia, had been promoted by Pope Julius III to the Capella Sistina.

Animuccia ’ s most important composition for this period was his Missarum Liber Primus ( 1567 ).

Animuccia, as magister cantorum of the Capella Giulia, would no doubt have been aware of this test ; it is unsurprising therefore that in 1566 there is a record of him being paid ‘ for the composition of five masses according to the requirements of the Council Trent .’ Animuccia ’ s Missarum Liber Primus was published a year later.

Although Animuccia ’ s contribution to liturgical musical at this time was soon eclipsed by choral works of his contemporaries Palestrina and Victoria, his music remains an important example as to one of the ways in which a composer sought to deal with the issues which arose after the Council of Trent.

Animuccia ’ s first book contains simple settings of Italian laude which are homophonic throughout, and – as part of Phillip Neri ’ s early devotional meetings – were probably sung by amateur singers.

In particular his use of different voice groupings can be seen as a very early example of the polychoral technique ( chori spezzati ) which became very popular in Rome shortly after Animuccia ’ s death.

Early on, through his association with Florentine circles ( in particular the exiled Altoviti family ), Animuccia met his fellow Florentine St Phillip Neri.

The music in Animuccia ’ s second book of laude is much more madrigalistic ; he uses a greater variety of textures, sonorities and languages ( Italian and Latin ).

By this time the number of people attending the Oratory had increased significantly and Animuccia wished to offer more complex music in order to ‘ woo influential people through music into churches .’

It is interesting to note that Animuccia ’ s presentation of an ‘ intelligible ’ style is only evident in the Gloria and the Credo, and even here he seems reluctant to strip all ‘ artifice ’ from the music.

In his book of Masses Animuccia is consciously trying to compose music that reconciles, as he sees it, the two polarities in this issue of composing ‘ intelligible ’ music: that of making the text audible, yet at the same time sounding beautiful – therefore fulfilling the music ’ s most important function of drawing the listener deeper into prayer and closer to God.

The stylistic features described in Animuccia ’ s Masses and laude can be seen as antecedent to the way choral music would develop from the end of the 16th century into the 17th century.

Animuccia published two books of laude for use in the Oratory in 1563 and 1570.

Animuccia ’ s Florentine influence is evident as some of his texts originate from Florence.

Animuccia and Corteccia were the only significant composers writing madrigals in Florence at the time and both composers published books of madrigals in 1547.

Other significant stylistic features of Animuccia ’ s composition style include variations in vocal textures and colour by varying voice groupings, and instances of word painting.

" Animuccia, Giovanni.

* March 20-Giovanni Animuccia, composer ( born c. 1520 )

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