Abstract

"One of Milan's most important musicians during the late 16th and early 17th centuries was Francesco Rognoni , a Knight and Count Palatine, son of Richardo Rogniono. The father had published an important treatise on ornamentation nearly thirty years prior to Francesco's. The title page of Francsco's Selva tells us that Francesco was head of instrumental music at the ducal court and maestro di cappella at Santo Ambrosio Maggiore in Milan. In an earlier publication he calls himself a "player of the violin, of the viola bastarda, and other instruments." He may in fact have written the first violin treatise, for a work entitled Aggiunta del scolare di violino is reported to have been published by him in 1614..."