D’India Sigismondo, *ca. 1580 Palermo, †1629 Modena (?), Italian musician and composer. He was active at many princely courts, most notably (1611–23) at the court of the Dukes of Savoy in Turin, and subsequently (1623–24) at the court of the Dukes of Este in Modena.
D’India’s works fell almost entirely into oblivion. Today, as a composer of monodic music, he is sometimes counted among the greatest musicians contemporary with C. Monteverdi, and his madrigal output is attracting increasing attention. In his era, D’India occupies the position of one of the most outstanding ‘mannerists,’ with a particularly vivid, emotionally saturated expression (his laments rank among the highest achievements of the genre) and an excellent sense of form. D’India wrote his monodies and madrigals to texts by the great poets of the time, including T. Tasso, G.B. Marino, G.B. Guarini, O. Rinuccini, and G. Chiabrera.
Literature: N. Fortune Italian Secular Monody from 1600 to 1635, “The Musical Quarterly” XXXIX, 1953; F. Mompellio S. D’India e il suo primo libro di „Musiche da cantar solo”, «Collectanea Historiae Musicae» I, 1953; N. Fortune S. D’India, an Introduction to His Life and Works, “Proceedings of the Royal Musical Association” LXXXI, 1954/55; F. Mompellio S. D’India musicista palermitane, Milan 1956; M. Bristiger O duetach S. D’India (1609–1615), «Pagine» [II], Poznań n.d. [1975].
Compositions
Vocal:
secular:
Il primo libro de madrigali… for 5 voices, pub. Milan 1606, 3rd ed. 1610; Books 2–5, for 5 voices (Book 3 with basso continuo), pub. Venice 1611, 1615, 1616, 1616; Book 6 doesn’t exist?; Books 7 and 8, for 5 voices (Book 8 with basso continuo), pub. Rome 1624
Delle villanelle alla napolitana (…) libro primo for 3 voices, pub. Naples 1608; Book 2, for 3–5 voices, pub. Venice 1612
Le musiche (…) da cantar solo nel clavicordo, chitarone, arpa doppia et altri istromenti simili for 1–2 voices and basso continuo, pub. Milan 1609; [Book 2], for 2 voices, pub. Venice 1615; Book 3, for 1–2 voices, pub. Milan 1618
Le musiche (…) da cantarsi nel chitarrone, clavicembalo, arpa doppia et altri stromenti da corpo, con alcune arie, con l’alfabetto per la chitarra alla spagnola, Book 4, for 1–2 voices, pub. Venice 1621; Book 5, for 1 voice, pub. Venice 1623
Le musiche e balii… for 4 voices and basso continuo, pub. Venice 1621
sacred:
Novi concentus ecclesiastici… for 2–3 voices and basso continuo, pub. Venice 1610
Liber secundus sacrorum concentuum… for 3–6 voices and basso continuo, pub. Venice 1610
Liber primus motectorum… for 4 voices and basso continuo, pub. Venice 1627
Stage:
La Zalizura, pastoral opera, libretto L. d’Agliè (fragments in manuscript)
Editions:
Madrigali a cinque voci, libro I, ed. F. Mompellio, Milan 1942
Il primo libro di Musiche da cantar solo…, ed. F. Mompellio, Cremona 1970
Ottavo libro di madrigali, a cinque voci…, ed. G. Watkins, «Musiche Rinascimentali Siciliane», vol. 10, Florence 1979 (with an extensive introduction Toward an Opus Ultimum)
moreover, individual works in: F. Noske Das ausserdeutsche Sololied 1500–1900, «Das Musikwerk» XVI, Cologne 1958, also in: Arie scelte a 1 e 2 voci, «I Classici Italiani della Musica», vol. 6, Turin 1959
