Usper, Gabriele (EN)

Usper (born Spongia, Sponga, Sponza) Gabriele, *second half 16th century Parenzo (?, present-day Poreč), †after 1623 Venice (?), Italian composer and organist. He probably studied under his uncle Francesco Uspero in Venice and belonged to the brotherhood of S. Giovanni Evangelista. In 1609, he unsuccessfully sought a position as organist there. Gabriele Uspero’s only surviving collection (Madrigali concertati, Venice 2nd edition 1623) contains 13 madrigals for 2–4 voices and basso continuo modelled on Monteverdi. The remaining works were published in Francesco Uspero’s collections: two sinfonias for 6 voices and two instruments with basso continuo, four sacred concertos for solo voice with basso continuo and a Credo for 5 voices in Messa e salmi (1614), two sonatas, a sinfonia, two motets for 8 voices with basso continuo in Compositioni armoniche (1619). In addition, one motet is preserved in a manuscript (Pirna, Stadtarchiv).

Literature: E. Stipčević Gabriele. Sponga-Usper compositore manierista, in: Musica, storia, folklore in Istria, Festschrift for G. Radole, ed. I. Cavallini and M. Sofianopulo, Trieste 1987.