Vincenzo Bell’haver

Vincenzo Bell’haver
(b c1540–41; d Venice, 29 Aug 1587). Italian composer and organist. He is first heard of as organist of the church of the Crosieri at Padua in 1567; in the same year he applied unsuccessfully for the post of organist of Padua Cathedral.

The following year he was elected organist of the Scuola Grande di S Rocco, Venice. He remained there until June 1584, when he returned to Padua, having now attained the position of organist at the cathedral. His initial engagement was to have lasted three years but, perhaps due to an unexcused absence from Padua, a disagreement arose with the canons who, in December 1585, appointed Sperandio Saloni in place of Bellavere. In December 1586 he replaced Andrea Gabrieli as organist at S Marco, Venice; he died eight months later at the age of 46.

Bellavere’s reputation as a composer of madrigals is attested by the presence of his compositions in numerous contemporary anthologies. His style is indebted to that of Andrea Gabrieli: it shows the same penchant for bright sonorities (especially in the upper voices) and a similar attitude to word-setting, verbal images being taken up in the music in a modest rather than extravagant way (as in the Marenzian school). He was a leading composer of giustiniani and veneziane. Ten of these appeared in the Primo libro delle justiniane (RISM 157017), an anthology edited by Bellavere himself. The works are strophic, as in the popular tradition; the comic texts are rich in doubles entendres, imprecations and stammering effects. Of the little church music by Bellavere that survives, the double-choir motet Vidi speciosam (in 16152) is an excellent example of the Venetian polychoral tradition.