Augustinus [Agostino] Martini {Gregory XIII-Clement VIII}
Alto; Rome; admitted without examination, 29 May 1572; list of 1573 ; DS lists of July 1577 and June 1578 ; mandati : January 1580 -November 1586 ; DS lists of 1587 - 1590 ; died in Rome on 30 April 1601 [VatS 615, p. 179]; punctator in 1588 ; camerlengo in 1589, 1590 ; maestro in 1594 .
Martini was another of those weak singers who owed their presence in the choir to powerful connections and to their abilities as composers. A member of the household of Cardinal Sermoneta, Martini had apparently tried a number of times to join the chapel but was rejected each time, not because he was a bad musician, but because of the weakness of his voice. But in May 1572 he or somebody prevailed upon Pope Gregory XIII to order that he be accepted. The importance of papal patronage in his case was made evident in that same year. In October 1572 , Gregory XIII had refused to readmit Federigo Donato and Niccola Barone who had returned after leaves of absence, saying that he did not want the choir to exceed 24 members and to that end would only accept singers who had been in the chapel of Pius V and had been admitted according to the chapel statutes (that is, by examination) [see Donato and Barone ]. When Martini and VincenzoVimercato, neither of whom had joined the choir in the reign of Pius V and who had both been admitted without examination, expressed anxiety about their own position, the pope reassured them that he wanted them to remain no matter what. In gratitude for Gregory's support, Martini dedicated a manuscript collection of Masses, hymns, magnificats, and motets (what looks like his complete works) to the pope (VatS 58).
On 30 October 1585 , Martini was briefly dismissed from the choir by papal order along with other singers, but was reinstated in November (this apparently was punishment for being involved in a plot to make Palestrina the maestro di cappella , see discussion on p.).
WORKS IN VATS MSS
Masses: Missa O gloriosa Domina (VatS 58); Missa Domine fili (VatS 58)
Magnificats: Magnificat Primi Toni (VatS 58); Magnificat Quarti Toni (VatS 58); Magnificat Octavi Toni (VatS 58)
Motets: Beata es Virgo (VatS 58), Maria Ne reminiscaris (VatS 58), O sacrum convivium (VatS 58), Crux illustris (VatS 58), Sancta Maria ora pro nobis (VatS 58); Benedicamus Deo (VatS 58); hymn: O gloriosa Domina (VatS 58).
DOCUMENTS
DS 9
132v: entry dated 29 May 1572
Eodem die post missam congregatis cantoribus R.p.d. magister capelle de expresso mandato S.mi D.N. Gregorii pp xiii admisit in cantorem de capella Dominum Augustinum Martini contraltum et induit eum ruchetto sive superpelicio et domini cantores attento mandato S.mi eundem d.nm Augustinum ad osculum pacis admiserunt non servata forma constitutionum capelle in admisione cantorum in dandis votis secreto et examine.
134r: entry dated 4 June 1572
Abbas dividit regalia admissioni in cantorem capelle d. Augustinum Martini.
DS 10
7r: entry dated 14 October 1572
Eadem die ad instantia dd. Aug.ti Martini et Ant.o Vimercato fuit vocatus R.dus d. decanus capelle per parte S.mi super eo quod dubitabatur ea esse exclusos attento quod non fuerunt admissi tempore Pii 5ti et fuisse admissos sine examine inscio S.mo
Eadem die R.dus d. decanus retulit esse mente sue S.tis dd. Augustinus et Ant.o essent cantores sue capelle et non esse mentis sue d. Nicolao Baronum esse cantor sue capelle et que ad d. Federicum comiteret R.p.d. datario quod daretur sibi recompenso idonea attento quod excedebat numerorum 24 cantores.
ASV Miscellanea Arm. XI, vol. 93
152r: entry without date [1573] [SHERR, p. 617]
Augustinus Martini. Questo fa contralto, et è familiare del Cardinal Sermoneta, più volte si è provato per entrare in capella ma non ha potuto non perché non fusse valent'huomo in musica et persona molto da bene, ma perché non havea buona voce per contralto, l'anno passato fu data comissione, che si pigliasse, et così fu pigliato.
DS 14
24v: entry dated 30 October 1585
See Conforti
27r: entry dated 22 November 1585
See Conforti
BIBLIOGRAPHY: CELANI, p. 758; SHERR, "Competence and Incompetence"