ABSTRACT
Ludovico Zacconi’s approach to the duration of syllables resembles that of Minturno. Whether he was familiar with Minturno’s writings and whether his treatment of syllable length might have been inspired by such knowledge is difficult to say. Moreover, in Gioseffo Zarlino’s writings, the passages on text setting discussing the correct observation of syllable length sometimes sound like criticism than practical advice. The melodic aspect of the musical setting of the verse is of lesser interest, though it is, indeed, hardly separable from the rhythmic one when it concerns the repertory of the seventeenth century and especially early opera. The sensuous description of Fabio Orsini’s voice refers to an aria in the sense of prosodio, or in other terms, rhythmic movement, which was able to produce an immense aesthetic impression on the erudite listener. In Giovanni de' Bardi’s classification of the music for singing poetry there were arie and arie musicali: ‘Among the simple arie there were also some without accompaniment.
