Rodio, Rodia, Rodius, Rocco, Rochus, *ca. 1535 Bari, †after 1615 Naples, Italian composer, editor, and theoretician. Little is known about his career. In a 1562 mass book, which he dedicated to Sigismund Augustus, he described himself as “humilis vassalus S[igismundi] P[oloniae] D[ucis]”, which seems to be rather a conventional expression of homage to the son of Bona Sforza than evidence of Rodio’s connection with the Jagiellonian chapel. After 1575, the nickname “Napolitano” (previously “Barensis” or “di Bari”) was added to his surname, but he had probably been in Naples since the early 1560s. He belonged to an academy founded and maintained by Prince Fabrizio Gesualdo di Venosa (father of Carlo), and together with G.L. Primavera and others, he founded the Camerata di Propaganda per l’Affinamento del Gusto Musicale.
Rodio’s sacred vocal works are in the traditional style, while his secular and instrumental compositions display many innovative features, especially in terms of harmony. His treatise Regole di musica, which also gained great popularity outside Italy and influenced both music theory (P. Cerrone) and practice, especially among Neapolitan composers (A. Mayone), is further evidence of his departure from classical Renaissance counterpoint. Among Rodio’s most original works are the compositions from the collection Libro di ricercate – the first music print with a score. It contains 5 multi-section ricercars (including 2 variation pieces) and 4 fantasias, of which 3 are settings of a chorale cantus firmus shown in equal long note-values, while one takes the form of ostinato variations based on the motif “Spagni”. The harpsichord arrangement of Salve regina, in which the fixed melody appears in an ornamental form, also belongs to the fantasia type. In these works, Rodio originally combined contrapuntal construction (independent voice leading, imitations) with expressive rhythm and virtuosic figurations characteristic of the mature instrumental style.
Literature: M.S. Kastner Note critiche ed illustrative di Rocco Rodio, cinque ricercate, una fantasia, Padova 1958 (includes editions of ricercars and 1 fantasia).
Editions:
settings of Salve regina ed. C. Jacobs in: Intavolatura de Cimbalo (Naples, 1576), Oxford 1978
Regole di musica, 1609, fac., «Bibliotheca musica Bononiensis» II, 57, Bologna 1984
1 madrigal ed. G.C. Schuetze in: Settings of „Ardo si” and Its Related Texts, «Recent Researches in the Music of the Renaissance» LXXX–LXXXI, Madison 1990
Missa „Fac tibi” quattuor vocibus (Roma 1562), ed. G. De Padova, «Musica Sacra» I, Vicenza 1992
Psalmi ad vesperas…, fac. ed. D. Fabris, «Ricerche Musicali dell’Associazione Manifestazioni Artistiche Calabria» I, Lamezia Terme 1994
Libro di ricercate. Napoli 1575. Con riproduzione della fonte CF.026 (B.2534) ed. A. Carideo, «Tastata» XXIX, [n.p.], [2014]
Compositions:
sacred:
Missarum (…) liber primus, 10 works for 4–6 voices, Rome 1562
28 works (hymns, 4 settings of magnificat) for 2–5 voices in: Psalmi ad vesperas (…) per totum annum quae vulgus falso bordone appellat, Naples 1573
2 motets for 5 voices in a collective print from 1585
Libro di motetti (…) composti su diversi canoni for 4–7 voices, lost
secular:
Il secondo libro di madrigali, 17 works for 4 voices, Venice 1587 (a unique copy in the Library of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Gdańsk)
2 canzoni napoletane for 3 voices, 1 for 4 voices and a madrigal for 5 voices in collective prints from 1570, 1577, 1591
a book of madrigals for 2 voices “a note negre” (1589) and book I of madrigals for 4 voices, lost
instrumental:
Libro di ricercate (…) con alcune fantasie sopra varii canti fermi, 9 works, Naples 1575
setting of Salve regina in: A. Valente Intavolatura de Cimbalo, Naples 1576
edition: Aeri racolti (…) dove si cantano sonetti, stanze et terze rime…, 29 works for 3–4 voices, including one of Rodio, Naples 1577 (incomplete)
Treatise:
Regole di musica di Rodio Rocco sotto brevissime risposte ad alcuni dubii propostigli da un Cavaliero, intorno alle varie opinioni di Contrapontisti, Naples ca. 1600 (lost), 2nd ed. 1609, 3rd ed. 1611, 4th ed. 1626
