A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Padua

by Catherine Mary Phillimore

PADUA. The first musical academy at Padua was that of the 'Costanti,' founded in 1566 by the nobles of the city. It embraced, besides music, natural philosophy, ethics, oratory, poetry, and languages. The first president was Francesco Portenari. But that the science of music must have been studied far earlier in the ancient Paduan university appears from the writings of Marchetto di Padova, the next writer upon music after Guido d'Arezzo, which date between the years 1274 and 1309. Prosdocimo di Beldomando, the musical theorist, was also a native of Padua. He was Professor of Astrology there in 1422, with a stipend of 40 silver ducats annually. His works on music are still preserved in the library at Padua. But he is outside our limits, and we therefore refer the reader to Burney, Hist. ii. 350. Padua gave its name to the ancient dance Paduan, or Pavan, which is discussed under its own heading.

[ C. M. P. ]