Lorenzo Ratti

Lorenzo Ratti (c. 1589–1630) was an Italian baroque composer originating from Perugia. His parents were Girolamo and Isapaola Ugolini.^[1] His uncle and teacher was Vincenzo Ugolini.^[2] He was the predecessor of Carissimi at the Collegium Germanicum^[3] and furthermore he was a teacher of Orazio Benevoli.^[4][5]

Biography

Ratti was born in Perugia in 1589 or 1590; however, the dates and places of his birth and death are not quite clear. Some sources, like François-Joseph Fétis, mention a village called Loreto in the surrounding of Naples as his place of birth, but Robert Eitner does not agree and claims Perugia to be Ratti's place of birth. Also, an originally signed sheet of music from 1632 casts doubt on his date of death.^[6]

He was first mentioned in 1598–1599 as a boy soprano of the Cappella Giulia of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome and later was its third organist. For a short time he was the first organist of the Perugia Cathedral (1613–1616). Returning to Rome, he became the music director of several ensembles.^[1] His best known jobs were at the Church of St. Louis of the French as the teacher of Orazio Benevoli^[7] and as music director at the Collegium Germanicum at S. Loreto. Later, he succeeded Antonio Cifra as the director of music at Santa Casa in Loreto.^[1]

Works, editions and recordings

He composed a number of sacral works. Well known are his six Gospel Dialogues for the oratory.^[8][9] He is claimed to have composed 157 motets. Furthermore, he created a so-called dramma harmonico:^[1]

• Missa Zacharia a 16^[1]
• 6 Dialogues for the Oratory
• Sacrae modulationes 1628^[10]
• Il Ciclope overo Della vendetta d’Apolline^[1]

Eitner also mentioned several works, including their state of conservation and their location (partly translated and shortened):^[6]

• Motecta 2, 3, 4 et 5 voc. lib. 1.; Roma 1617 Zanetti., Caecilia in Rome complete. B. B: C 1. 2. B.
• Sacrae Modulationes nunc primum in lucem editae Pars I./II., (not complete), Bologna, Kremsmünster, 1628 Aless. Vincentius
• Litaniae beatiss. V. M. 5, 6, 7, 8 et 12 voc. una c. B. ad org. Ven. 1630 Aless. Vincentius
• Cantica Salomonis. Binis, ternis, 4nis, acquinis vocibus concinenda. 1632
• Di Lorenzo R... nepote e discepolo di Vinc. Ugolini. Il 1. lib. de Madrigali a 5 voci, 1615 G. Vincenti. Neapel.
• Alfieri, Bd.2, S. 65. Jesu cordis solatium 5 voc.
• O Domine Jesu Christe, (2 copies) .
• Cap. lat.: Missa sine nom. a 4 cori (4 Org. u. 4 voci per coro).
• Cap. sistina, Cod. 220, Ecce panis angelicus 5 voc.
• Kremsmünster, Cod. Lechler "einige Tonsätze" (= "some compositions").
• "In alten Samlwk. im Druck" ('collection to be printed'): In Dom. Bianchi's Sacrarum modulat. 1642: Transfige. — In Sammaruco's Sacri affetti 1625: Salve virgo sacra parens 4 voc. concert.

Further reading

• Oratorios of the Italian baroque, I, a cura di H.E. Smither, Laaber 1985, pp. 172–231
• Robert Eitner: Biographisch-bibliographisches Quellen-Lexikon der Musiker und Musikgelehrten. Breitkopf & Haertel, Leipzig 1900
• F. J. Fétis, Biogr. univ. des musiciens, Paris 1873