Pasqualini, Marc’Antonio (EN)

Pasqualini, Pasqualino, Marc’Antonio, known as Malagigi, baptised 25 April 1614 Rome, †3 July 1691 Rome, Italian castrato singer (soprano) and composer. Between 1623 and 1627, he sang in the boys’ choir of the Church of S. Luigi dei Francesi in Rome and studied under V. Ugolini. In 1628, he performed in C. Monteverdi’s intermezzos during wedding celebrations at the Farnese court in Parma. Between 1629 and 1643, he worked at the court of Cardinal A. Barberini, and between 1631 and 1643, he took part in many opera performances at the Barberini theatre, including Il Sant’Alessio by S. Landi (1632, 1634), Chi soffre speri by M. Marazzoli (1637, 1639), and Il palazzo incantato by L. Rossi (1642). From 1631, he sang in the Cappella Sistina, becoming a member in July 1634 and its maestro di cappella in 1655–59. He ended his stage career in 1647 with the role of Aristeo in the premiere of L. Rossi’s Orfeo in Paris. Until his death, he sang sporadically in the papal chapel. He was one of the most famous singers of the 17th century, and his name, inextricably linked with the Barberini opera theatre, was known throughout Europe. Pasqualini’s compositions include approximately 40–100 cantatas, arias and fragments of oratorios preserved in manuscripts, including those in the Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Biblioteca Casanatense in Rome, Civico Museo Bibliografico Musicale in Bologna and Biblioteca Estense in Modena.

Pasqualini’s work still requires thorough and comprehensive study. Working also as a copyist, he left behind a large number of manuscripts, some of which are copies of oratorio and cantata works by other composers (mainly L. Rossi), some are signed with a nickname or monogram, and many are anonymous works, sketches and contrafacta. To date, 40 cantatas and verse arias has been attributed to Pasqualini, but this number should probably be extended to over 100 works (M. Murata), excluding works with religious texts. Pasqualini wrote music for 1–3 voices with basso continuo to poems by A. Barberini, L. Orsini, S. Baldini and G. Lotti. His works are characterised by experimentation in form and the expansion of recitative parts at the expense of arias; Pasqualini did not overly emphasise vocal virtuosity. His music shows the influence of L. Rossi, M. Marazzoli and S. Landi, with whom he collaborated for many years on various musical projects in Rome.

Literature: A. Cametti Musicisti celebri del Seicento in Roma. Marc’ Antonio Pasqualini, “Musica d’oggi” III, 1921; G. Rose Pasqualini as Copyist, “Analecta Musicologica” XIV, 1974; M. Murata Further Remarks on Pasqualini and the Music of Marc’ Antonio Pasqualini, “Analecta Musicologica” XIX, 1979; M. Murata Operas for the Papal Court, 1631–1668, Ann Arbor 1981; J. Lionnet La musique à Saint-Louis des français de Rome au XVIIe siècle, “Note d’archivio per la storia musicale” III, 1985; N. Guidobaldi “Non un semplice ritratto”: Marcantonio Pasqualini, Apollo e Marsia in un dipinto di Andrea Sacchi in: Musica e immagine: Tra iconografia e mondo dell’opera, ed. G. Ciliberti, B. Brumana, Florence 1993; F. Hammond Music and Spectacle in Baroque Rome. Barberini Patronage under Urban VIII, New Haven 1994; M. Murata Pasqualini riconosciuto in: Et facciam dolçi canti, ed. B.M. Antolini, Lucca 2003; N. Guidobaldi Ancora sul ritratto di Marcantonio Pasqualini in veste di pastore in: Francesco Buti tra Roma e Parigi: Diplomazia, poesia, teatro, ed. F. Luisi, Rzym 2009; M. Murata Thematic catalogue of chamber cantatas by Marc Antonio Pasqualini, “Journal of Seventeenth-Century music. Instrumenta” III, 2015.