Fra Serafino Razzi (1531-1613), born in Marradi and later residing in Florence, was a notable Italian Dominican friar celebrated for his contributions to music and literature.

In 1563, he unveiled a substantial compilation of carnival songs within the lauda genre, titled Libro primo delle laudi spirituale.[1] This collection stands as a vibrant mosaic, showcasing pieces of diverse ages and characters drawn from the rich musical landscape of Florence.[2] Comprising 91 lauda settings for one to four voices, Razzi's work reflects his extensive travels, meticulously chronicled in his diaries.[3]

Razzi's sister was the sculptor and nun Maria Angelica Razzi.

Works (books)

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  • Vite dei santi, e beati cosi uomini, come donne del sacro ordine (in Italian). Florence: Bartolomeo Sermartelli. 1577.
  • La vita et institutioni del Giovan. Taulero [Life and Institutions of Johannes Tauler] (in Italian). Florence: per Filippo Giunti. 1590.
  • La storia di Raugia (in Italian). Lucca: per il Busdrago. 1595.
  • Istoria de gli huomini: cosi nelle prelature, come nelle dottrine del sacro ordine de gli predicatori (in Italian). Lucca: per il Busdrago. 1596.
  • Giardino d'essempi, ouero Fiori delle vite de' Santi (in Italian). Venice: presso Daniel Zanetti. 1599.

Works (music)

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  • Libro primo delle laudi spirituali (1563), a large collection of carnival songs in the lauda genre. This collection includes 91 lauda settings for one to four voices.
  • O dolcezza (date of publication unknown)
  • O Giesu dolce (date of publication unknown)
  • O Maria diana stella (date of publication unknown)
  • O Vergin Santa non m'abbandonare (date of publication unknown)
  • Stabat mater dolorosa (date of publication unknown)
  • Razzi's music was likely much more extensive than what survives today. His collection "Libro primo" suggests there may have been additional planned volumes that were never published.

References

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  1. ^ Apel, Willi (1969). Harvard dictionary of music. Harvard University Press. p. 464. In the second half of the 16th century Fra Serafino Razzi inaugurated a vast literature of laude in the popular styles of the villanella and canzonetta [ex. by G. Animuccia in SchGMB, no. 120]. Frequently, folksongs and dance melodies were used with the religious texts
  2. ^ Garriott, Anita (1973). Fra Serafino Razzi and his laude collections of the sixteenth century.
  3. ^ Sorella, Sergio (2009). "Tra sviluppo e decadenza". Termoli. Donzelli: 418. ISBN 9788860363718.
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