Dr. David Mathie
Trombonist, Professor, Arranger
Gabrieli - Jubilate Deo
Eight-part Brass Ensemble
Difficulty Level: College/Professional
Published by Balqhidder Music, Catalog Number BQ-106
Click below to hear Jubilate Deo (performed by the Boise State University brass faculty and students)
ABOUT THE MUSIC
Details of Giovanni Gabrieli’s early life are sparse. He was probably born in 1554 and studied composition with his famous uncle Andrea Gabrieli, then later Orlando di Lassus. By 1584 he had settled in Venice to take the position of principal organist at the Basilica di San Marco, followed by the similar position at the Scuola Grande di San Rocco. Thus in his thirties he became the principal musician in the two most prestigious churches in Italy.
Gabrieli began his composition career with the popular vocal madrigals of that time, but eventually began favoring sacred music for vocal and instrumental forces. The unique design of St. Mark’s Basilica, with its two opposing choir lofts, led him to his characteristic antiphonal style: one group would begin from the left-sided loft, followed by a response from the group on the right. Even to this day the acoustics of the cathedral are such that the music is in perfect balance to the listener throughout the church.
The most famous compilation of his choral and instrumental works is the Sacrae Symphoniae of 1597. From this collection Jubilae Deo (“Sing Out to the Lord”) was written for eight vocal parts: two soprano (most probably boys) and two contra-alto voices, two tenor and two bass voices. Payment records from the church indicate that, like most of Gabrieli’s music at the time, it may have been performed with wind instruments such as cornetti and sackbuts doubling the voices.
Unlike most of my Gabrieli transcriptions, this piece is not written for antiphonal choirs. The transcription was taken from the complete works (Giovani Gabrieli Opera Omnia, American Institute of Musicology, Hänssler-Verlag, 1998). Editorial additions have been kept to a minimum: the slurs were taken from the text, while the dynamics are suggested by both the text and texture of the music. Musical interpretations should bear in mind that the work is vocal in nature and the tempo should reflect the fact that the original was performed in a very large acoustic space.
Details of Giovanni Gabrieli’s early life are sparse. He was probably born in 1554 and studied composition with his famous uncle Andrea Gabrieli, then later Orlando di Lassus. By 1584 he had settled in Venice to take the position of principal organist at the Basilica di San Marco, followed by the similar position at the Scuola Grande di San Rocco. Thus in his thirties he became the principal musician in the two most prestigious churches in Italy.
Gabrieli began his composition career with the popular vocal madrigals of that time, but eventually began favoring sacred music for vocal and instrumental forces. The unique design of St. Mark’s Basilica, with its two opposing choir lofts, led him to his characteristic antiphonal style: one group would begin from the left-sided loft, followed by a response from the group on the right. Even to this day the acoustics of the cathedral are such that the music is in perfect balance to the listener throughout the church.
The most famous compilation of his choral and instrumental works is the Sacrae Symphoniae of 1597. From this collection Jubilae Deo (“Sing Out to the Lord”) was written for eight vocal parts: two soprano (most probably boys) and two contra-alto voices, two tenor and two bass voices. Payment records from the church indicate that, like most of Gabrieli’s music at the time, it may have been performed with wind instruments such as cornetti and sackbuts doubling the voices.
Unlike most of my Gabrieli transcriptions, this piece is not written for antiphonal choirs. The transcription was taken from the complete works (Giovani Gabrieli Opera Omnia, American Institute of Musicology, Hänssler-Verlag, 1998). Editorial additions have been kept to a minimum: the slurs were taken from the text, while the dynamics are suggested by both the text and texture of the music. Musical interpretations should bear in mind that the work is vocal in nature and the tempo should reflect the fact that the original was performed in a very large acoustic space.