Franciscus [Francesco] Nardus [Nardo] {Pius IV}
Bass; Bologna; in San Petronio in Bologna, 1537-1557; admitted 25 February 1560 by a vote of 24-0; mandati : March 1560-October 1565; died in Rome, 1 October 1565 and a funeral Mass was celebrated in Santa Anna on 8 October.
Nardo's entry into the choir seems to have been due to the influence of Cardinal Carlo Caraffa just before the cardinal's fall from power and eventual execution. On 10 February 1560, the cardinal announced to the singers that he had in his possession a motu proprio making him the Protector of the Chapel (he was thus the first Cardinal Protector--see Chapter 1). In that capacity, he presented Nardus to the singers to undergo the required audition. Nardus acquitted himself well. On 19 February, the cardinal signed an order admitting Nardus to the choir, even though this was before the actual vote of the singers, which took place on 25 February. The singers also registered their concern that the admission violated the motu proprio of Julius III which restricted the number of singers to 24; in fact, Nardo’s admission brought the number to 31.
DOCUMENTS
DS 5
159v: entry dated 10 February 1560 [FREY, p. 13]
[Cardinal Caraffa announces that he has been appointed Cardinal Protector of the Chapel]
Item fecit cantare bassum Bononiensem Franciscum Nardum, ut audiretur vox eiusdem, que fuit laudata et commendata ab omnibus.
161r: entry dated 25 February 1560 [FREY, p. 17]
Finita missa fuit congregatio cantorum cum d. magistro capelle ex commissione Rev.mi cardinalis Caraffe protectoris super examine d. Francisci Nardi Bononiensisi et facto examine et scrutinio a 24 cantoribus presentibus per fabas nigras et albas, ex quibus nigre erant in favorem at albe contra, dictus Franciscus habuit 24 fabas nigras in favorem, quod commiserunt ita referri debere per d. magistrum eidem Rev.mo.
161v: entry dated 26 February 1560 [FREY, pp. 18-20]
Ante missam (quae cantabatur absque matutinis) comparuit R. p. d. magister capelle et coram XI cantoribus tunc presentibus inferius descriptis fecit legere quasdam patentes litteras manu Rev.mi protectoris subscriptas et suo sigillo munitas, vigore quarum tradidit rocchettum d. Francisco Nardo admittens eundem in cantorem capelle cum illius honoribus et oneribus ad vitam cum iuramento et osculo pacis more solito etc. cum protestatione per dictos R. d. magistrum et cantores facta, quod per huiusmodi admissionem dicti cantoris non intendunt incidere aliquas censuras per motum proprium Julii pape tertii super non admittendis cantoribus in dicta capella nisi prius numero dictorum cantorum reducto ad 24 aut alias promulgatas.
VatS 679, fols. 17r-17v [FREY, p. 19]
Deputatio cantoris per cardinalem Caraffam tunc capelle protectorem
19 II 1560
Carolus Sancti Nicolai in Carcere Tullianus S.R.E. diaconus cardinalis Carrafa sanctissimi domini nostri capelle protector. Cum de probitate et in artis musicis experientia ac vocis sonoritate plurimum in dominum Franciscum de Nardis de Bononia confidimus sperantes quod ea que sibi conmittenda duximus solerti studio exequi procurabit specialibus favoribus et gratiis ipsum dominum Franciscum unum ex cantoribus dicte cappelle cum omnibus et singulis illius honoribus et oneribus salariis et emolumentis solitis et consuetis ad eius vitam facimus constituimus et deputamus et ipsum d. Franciscum in cantorum et cappellanorum numero et consortio favorabiliter agregamus. Nec non de omnibus et singulis honoribus gratiis privilegiis facultatibus libertatibus prerogativis et indultis quibus dicti cantores cappellani utuntur potiuntur et gaudent ac uti potiri [added] et gaudere poterunt quomodolibet in futurum similiter uti potiri ac gaudere libere et licite posse et valere ac de omnibus et singulis iuribus salariis et emolumentis solitis et consuetis dispendendum fore et esse sibique responderi decernimus. Mandantes propterea Reverendo Domino Hieronimo Episcopo Castrensis moderno eiusdem cappelle magistro ac cantoribus cappellanis quatenus visis presentibus si dictum dominum Franciscum presente examine idoneum erat sufficienter et repererint ipsum in cantorem cappellanum recipiant et admittant ac rochettum et alia necessaria dari solita traddant et consignent necnon thesaurario et depositario omnibusque aliis et singulis ad quos expectat et pertinet ac expectabit et pertinebit ut sibi de emolumentis iuribus regaliis et salariis solitis et consuetis respondeant et responderi mandent et favorabiliter et cum effectu. Non obstantibus quibusvis constitutionibus ordinationibus privillegiis indultis ac literis apostolicis ceterisque contrariis quibuscumque. In quorum fidem etc. Datum Rome in idibus nostris die xix mensis februarii anni 1560.
DS 7
157r: entry dated 1 October 1565
Dominus Franciscus Nardus obiit sepultusque fuit in ecclesia Sancte Anne.
157v: entry dated 8 October 1565
Celebravimus exequias domini Francisci Nardi in ecclesia Sancte Anne.
BIBLIOGRAPHY: CELANI, p. 753; FREY, Die Diarien; GAMBASSI, Osvaldo. La Cappella Musicale di S. Petronio: Maestri, Organisti, Cantori e Strumentisti dal 1436 al 1920 (Florence, 1987), pp. 68-75.