Italian family of rulers and music patrons. This important family, whose lineage can be traced continuously from the 9th century to the 19th, included a number of conspicuous patrons of music, especially during the period 1400–1700. Evidently of Lombard origin, the family name derived from the feudal stronghold of Este, near Padua, which they ruled from about 1000 to about 1240; thereafter they were the hereditary lords of Ferrara until 1598. Their dominion over Ferrara, first with the rank of marquis, later with that of duke, included Modena, Rovigo and other adjacent territories; after losing Ferrara to the papacy in 1598, they continued their rule as Dukes of Modena until 1859.
The earliest musical patron among the Estensi seems to have been Niccolò III (Marquis of Ferrara, 1393–1441), followed and outstripped in cultural patronage by his son Leonello (marquis from 1441 to 1450). Leonello was an illustrious supporter of the arts and letters and formed the first court musical chapel at Ferrara, which was staffed by professional singers brought mainly from France. His successor, Borso d’Este (first Duke of Modena in 1452 and first Duke of Ferrara in 1471), mainly fostered instrumental music, which was led by the great lutenist Pietrobono del Chitarino. In the late 15th century Duke Ercole I d’Este, for whom Josquin Des Prez wrote the Missa Hercules Dux Ferrarie, succeeded in making Ferrara a musical centre of European importance. His musicians included a staff of virtuoso instrumentalists as well as a large corps of singers, partly Italian, partly from France, Spain and northern Europe, who included Johannes Martini (1472–97), Jean Japart (1477–9), Johannes Ghiselin (1491–3), Josquin Des Prez (1503–4) and Obrecht (1504–5). Manuscripts of this period in the Biblioteca Estense, Modena, reflect the repertory of the chapel and its division into a double choir during the years 1473–82.
In the 16th century the three succeeding dukes of Ferrara were all dedicated patrons of music whose efforts were flanked by those of other members of the family. The ducal line included Alfonso I (ruled 1505–34), Ercole II (1534–59) and Alfonso II (1559–97). Alfonso I’s chapel included Antoine Brumel, Jan Michel and Antoine Colombaudi (‘Bidon’), among others. His brother, Cardinal Ippolito I d’Este (1479–1520), maintained an opulent establishment of his own with a retinue of musicians that included, among others, Willaert (1515–19, after which he passed into the service of Alfonso I), Jean Braconnier, Gian Giacomo da Vicenza and Alexander Demophon. In the next generation the court chapel flourished under Ercole II, whose marriage to Princess Renée of France reaffirmed the court’s longstanding ties with France. From 1547 to 1559 the principal court musician was Rore; Vicentino was an important secondary figure. Ercole II’s brother, Cardinal Ippolito II, residing at the sumptuous Villa d'Este at Tivoli, was a powerful ecclesiastical figure with musicians in his employ, including at various times Vicentino and Palestrina. The final flowering of the Ferrara chapel under Alfonso II brought a strong emphasis on the virtuoso madrigal, on music for drama (a longstanding Ferrarese speciality) and on the cultivation of accompanied solo song, as exemplified by the works of Luzzaschi, Wert, Lodovico Agostini and others. Other 16th-century patrons among the Estensi were the little-known Sigismondo d’Este (1480–1524), brother of Alfonso I; Lucrezia Borgia d’Este (1480–1519), wife of Alfonso I; Lucrezia d’Este (1535–98) and Leonora d’Este (1561–1637), who married Gesualdo in 1594. Cardinal Luigi d’Este (1538–86), patron of Marenzio, was also important. Numerous madrigalists of the late 16th century dedicated works to these patrons.
When Duke Alfonso II died without a male heir in 1597, his cousin Cesare, son of the illegitimate Alfonso d'Este of Montecchio, claimed the title. Pope Clement VIII, however, challenged the legality of the claim and sent an expeditionary force to seize the duchy of Ferrara for the papacy. The Estensi hastily retreated to Modena in January 1598, there establishing a new capital for their depleted dominions.
Throughout the 17th century the dukes of Modena continued to support music as strongly as before. The reign of Duke Cesare (1598–1628) was notable for the employment of Orazio Vecchi as music teacher in the royal household, and for the promotion of tournaments and open-air festivities to foster civic pride. At the beginning of the reign of Francesco I (1629–58) a regular Cappella Ducale was established, consisting of a maestro, six singers and eight instrumentalists; prominent among the instrumentalists employed were Marco Uccellini and Benedetto Ferrari. The court orchestra, or concerto degli stromenti, at Modena became one of the finest in Italy in the reign of Francesco II (1674–94), numbering among its members G.M. Bononcini, Giuseppe Colombi, G.B. Vitali, T.A. Vitali and Antonio Allemani.
Francesco II, who came to power at the age of 14, was a generous patron of musicians: he enlarged the Cappella Ducale to 29 musicians by 1689, and purchased a large collection of music for the ducal library. Oratorios, operas, cantatas and chamber music by the leading composers of the day were performed at his court and in the theatres of Modena and Reggio nell'Emilia. Under Rinaldo I (1694–1737), who renounced his cardinalate to succeed his nephew as duke of Modena, music served chiefly as an adornment on state occasions. The dukes of Este in the 18th and 19th centuries, though retaining an interest in opera, allowed the tradition of generous musical patronage at court to decline.
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LEWIS LOCKWOOD/VICTOR CROWTHER