Date of Award
2026
Keywords
early music, Italian composers, Roman music, Renaissance music, sacred music, historical performance practice
Document Type
Thesis
Publisher
Edith Cowan University
Degree Name
Bachelor of Music Honours
School
Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts
First Supervisor
Stewart Smith
Abstract
This research project focusses on Girolamo Bartei’s Missa Pro Defunctis (1608), a significant but largely forgotten eight-part polychoral setting of the Requiem Mass. I present a modern critical edition of the work alongside a contextual essay exploring Bartei’s life, his musical output, and performance practice issues pertaining to early seventeenth-century Roman polychoral music.
The significance of this research lies in its potential to fill a gap in current knowledge about Bartei and the performance of his music. By bringing together disparate sources and producing a critical edition, this project attempts to offer both new insights for performers interested in historically informed performance, as well as for scholars studying the broader context of early seventeenth-century Roman music. Ultimately, this research aims to return Bartei to the repertoire and encourage further exploration of this rich and often overlooked chapter in the history of music.
Access Note
Access to this thesis is embargoed until 12th August 2027
Recommended Citation
Foss, S. (2026). Girolamo Bartei’s Missa Defunctorum (1608): A critical edition and contextual essay. Edith Cowan University. https://doi.org/10.25958/rm4f-rh66