11 - The Venetian sacred music

Summary

Monteverdi's appointment in 1613 as maestro di cappella of S. Marco, Venice, brought him financial security in a post that also allowed him a good deal of freedom to accept commissions elsewhere, both in and outside the city. His initial salary of three hundred ducats was raised by the Procurators of S. Marco to four hundred in August 1616,1 making him, in his own words

certainly not rich, but neither am I poor; moreover, I lead a life with a certain security of income until my death, and furthermore I am absolutely sure of always having it on the appointed pay-days, which come every two months without fail. Indeed, if it is the least bit late, they send it to my house [in the chancellery of S. Marco]. Then as regards the cappella I do as I wish, since there is the assistant choirmaster … and there is no obligation to teach.

(Letter of 10 September 1627 to Alessandro Striggio)

Monteverdi's reference here to his assistant choirmaster is a reminder that he was not alone in shouldering the responsibilities of providing music for S. Marco. He inherited, and was later able to appoint, assistants who were not only performers, but also able composers of sacred music – Marc'Antonio Negri (singer and assistant choirmaster from 1612), Alessandro Grandi (singer from 1617, assistant choirmaster from 1620) and Giovanni Rovetta (singer from 1623, assistant choirmaster from 1627).