Vitali, Filippo (EN)

Vitali Filippo, *2 May 1591 Florence, †10 November 1654 Florence, Italian composer and singer (tenor), priest. Until 1630, he probably lived in his hometown, from where he made short trips to Venice (1616, 1622, 1625, 1629) and Rome (1618–20, 1631–32, 1633–38, 1640, 1642–45), among other reasons in connection with the publication of his works. During the 1620 carnival, Vitali’s first opera, L’Aretusa, dedicated to Cardinal Scipione Borghese, was performed several times at the palace of Orazio Corsini in Rome. In 1630–31, Vitali was maestro di cappella of the cathedral in Turin, in 1631–45 a singer in the papal choir, and in 1637–42 also a musician for Cardinal Antonio Barberini in Rome. During this time, he was responsible for the music in the Roman churches of S. Agnese, S. Agata, and Santissima Trinità dei Pellegrini. After 1645, he returned to Florence to take up the position of maestro di cappella ducale at the church of S. Lorenzo; in 1648–49, he was maestro di cappella of the Basilica of S. Maria Maggiore in Bergamo, and from 1651 until the end of his life, at S. Maria del Fiore in Florence.

Vitali was a versatile composer, active in both prima and seconda pratica, as well as one of the precursors of Florentine dramma per musica in Rome. Among his most outstanding works is the favola L’Aretusa – the first secular opera staged in Rome; the set design was prepared by G. Caccini’s son Pompeo, and the soloists included the famous M. Savioni. Like those of J. Peri and G. Caccini, Vitali’s operas are composed of recitatives, duets, short choral fragments, and instrumental ritornellos. Their success is evidenced by the fact that they were all published shortly after their premiere.

The composer also contributed to the development of secular monody, publishing numerous collections of solo arias, madrigals, and duets, among which the strophic variations from the Musiche collection (1618), based on a bass theme from a romanesca, deserve special mention. His work for numerous church ensembles is reflected in compositions in the Roman stile antico: Palestrina-style hymns and a cappella responsories using the alternatim technique, as well as motets and psalms with organ accompaniment.

Literature: J.W. Pruett The Works of Filippo Vitali, dysertacja University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 1962; W. Brüning Filippo fiorentino, 1599–1654: seine funfstimmigen Motetten, Rzym 1965; J.W. Hill The musical chapel of the Florence cathedral in the second half of the seventeenth century: Vitali, Comparini, Sapiti, Cerri w: Atti del VII centenario del Duomo di Firenze. III: Cantate Domino – Musica nei secoli per il Duomo di Firenze, red. G. Giacomelli, P. Gargiulo, C.M. Gianturco, Florencja 2001; Z.M. Szweykowski Recytatyw w L’Aretusa Filippo Vitalego w: Muzyka jest zawsze współczesna: Studia dedykowane Profesor Alicji Jarzębskiej, red. M. Woźna-Stankiewicz, A. Sitarz, Kraków 2011.