Agostino Facchi: Motetti Libro Secondo (1635)

Motetti Libro Secondo is one of three publications extant created by Agostino Facchi (d.1662). He was a priest and member of a religious order, in addition to serving as organist at Vicenza Cathedral.  He served at that post from 1624 until 1661, although he took extended leaves of absence due to health reasons.  His first collection, Concerti spirituali (1624) was also a set of motets, but with his last publication he turned his attention to madrigals, issuing Madrigali a 2, 3, 4 & 5 voce con il basso continuo, libro secondo in 1636.  Presumably there was a libro primo, but nothing is known about it.

 Facchi’s sacred music shows that he was a very capable composer, using both traditional and modern techniques in setting religious texts.  At times individual lines contain written-out ornamentation, but it is never extreme; for example, both parts at the end of Quid timidi (#3), or the top part in Bonum est (#2) on the word “exultabo.”  Almost all of the motets alternate sections of duple and triple meter to offset portions of text as well as add variety to the overall format.