Ascanio Mayone

An accomplished organist and harpist Mayone had studied with da Nola in Naples. At the age of twenty eight Mayone had succeeded Scipione as the organist of the church of the Annunziata and shared responsibilities with Lambardi who had formerly been a fellow student of Mayone under da Nola. He was an exceptional performer on both the harp and the organ and performed on an harp that was capable of flats and sharps. By the year 1614 Mayone had become the organist for the royal chapel where he was also afforded the opportunity to teach when he became the master of the chapel. Some of his students included Guarino and Guarino's son Giulio who both became organists in Naples. Some of Mayone's compositions were vocal scores for madrigals and vespers but he excelled in keybord composition experimenting with new and innovative forms. These works superceded the contemporary rules of counterpoint which was scandalous at the time. He prefaced this work by conveying to his audience that he would (and he did) include pieces written in the strict style for those that did not care for his new forms. Mayone also was aware, self-reflectively and socially, that people were often well-served by what pleased them. Mayone's ricercares and tocattas were quite excellent compositions which possibly influenced Froberger in the development of the tocatta and fugue. If this was not the case Mayone was certainly one of the few and early forerunners in the development of this musical form. His publication, "Primo libro di diversi capricci," was the first publication in the early Baroque style with moving rhythms and varying contrasts. ~ Keith Johnson, Rovi