Giulio Segni, also known as Julius da Modena, was first organist at St. Mark’s, Venice from 1530 to 1533. An indication of the respect accorded to his music is the fact that several of them survive in intabulations for lute and keyboard. Certainly he shows a remarkable contrapuntal gift, and a special ability to compose melodies that unfold organically from a simple opening phrase, and which have exquisitely controlled climaxes.
These pieces were originally published in Musica Nova / Accommodata per cantar / et sonar sopra organi; et altri /strumenti. composta per diversi /eccellentissimi musici., Venice, 1540.
Of the 21 pieces in the collection more than half (13 in all) are by Giulio Segni, 3 are by Willaert, with other pieces by Parabosco, Colin and Benoist. Only the bass part of Musica Nova has survived; however, all but two of the pieces were reprinted in Jacques Moderne’s Musicque de Joye, of c. 1545.
