Musica sacra (magazine)

Musica sacra was an Italian music magazine, specialized in the organ repertoire, printed for almost a century, in three series: Milan, 1877–1942 (I series); 1956–1967 (II series); Bergamo, 1968–1970 (III series).

History

The magazine first issue dates back to May 15, 1877. Based in Milan, Musica sacra was directed and founded by a supporter of the Cecilian Movement, Ambrogio Maria Amèlli, while the property was owned by Salvatore Meluzzi.

The programmatic intent of the periodical was clear from the title page: Musica Sacra, a liturgical-musical magazine for the restoration of sacred music in Italy. The first issue reported a passage of the rescript of Pope Pius IX addressed to Luigi Nazari di Calabiana, Archbishop of Milan, dated June 19, 1876; two letters of greeting and encouragement are also published: the first one from Cardinal Antonio Saverio De Luca, chosen by the Holy See as the protector of the "General Association of Saint Cecilia" founded in Germany, the second from Cardinal Domenico Bartolini.

Since the first issue of the magazine, a dossier was enclosed, eight pages of text and with handouts of both vocal and organ music; with the header: "Musica Sacra, repertorio economico - rivista musicale".

From July 1886 to September 1887, the property passed to a triumvirate formed by Francesco Lurani Cernuschi, Enrico Bossi and Giuseppe Tagliabue; starting from January 1895 the latter remained the sole owner of the magazine until December 1924.

In 1956 Giuseppe Biella (1906–1967), a canon in S. Ambrogio, in agreement with a small group of colleagues, revived the magazine that had been overwhelmed by the war at the end of 1942. He directed it for 12 years.

Since 1968, supported by the publishing house Carrara of Bergamo, Luciano Migliavacca and Ernesto Teodoro Moneta Caglio tried to revive it in a renewed guise (series III); after about ten issues, it finally closed in 1970.

Among the collaborators were Luigi Agustoni, Eduardo Bottigliero, Giovanni Tebaldini, Giuseppe Gallignani (director since 1886), Pietro Branchina, Jacopo Tomadini.