Lilius, Franciszek
Lilius, Gigli, Lilio, Vincenzo, Wincenty, *2nd half of the 16th century, Rome (?), †before 1641 Warsaw (?), Italian musician and composer. V. Lilius referred to himself as “Romano,” yet his Romanian past isn’t known. Before 1595, he stayed at the court of the Archduke in Graz. In 1596 at the latest, he arrived at the court of Sigismund III Vasa, where he sang as a tenor in the band; the last mention of V. Lilius in the court accounts dates from 1636; in 1641, he is listed in court records as dead. Married to Orgalka, he had five children: Franciszek, Katarzyna, Konstancja (both married Krakow townspeople), Karol and Cecylia (probably both lived in Warsaw).
In 1604, in Kraków, in B. Skalski’s printing house, V. Lilius published Melodiae sacrae, a collection of 20 motets for 4–8 and 12 voices, written by musicians of the royal band (only 3 voice books have been preserved); today it is the most authoritative monument documenting the mastery of the royal ensemble; there is the only known work by V. Lilius: the 12-voice motet Congratulamini mihi omnes (CA of the 1st choir, T of the 2nd choir preserved).
Literature: H. Feicht Przyczynki do dziejów kapeli królewskiej w Warszawie za rządów kapelmistrzowskich Marka Scacchiego, “Kwartalnik Muzyczny” 1928 No. 1; B. Przybyszewska-Jarmińska Muzyczne dwory polskich Wazów, Warsaw 2007; W. Leitsch Das Leben am Hof König Sigismuns III. von Polen, Vienna 2009; M. Bebak Franciszek Lilius. Życie i twórczość na tle epoki, Kraków 2018.