Ivan Lukačić
Marko Ivan Lukačić ("Lucacich" or "Lucacih"," Fr. Joannes de Sibinico") (Šibenik, baptized 7 April 1587 – Split, September 20, 1648) was a Croatian-born musician and composer of the Renaissance and early Baroque. Biography. Lukačić's exact date of birth is unknown; in 1587 he was baptised in Šibenik where it is believed he was born. Ten years later he entered the Franciscan order when he accepted his monastic name Ivan. In 1600 he was sent to Italy where he studied theology and music. In 1612 he has signed himself as "baccalaureus", while on 23 March 1615 he was  awarded in Rome the degree of "Magister Musices" "(master of music)". In 1614 he participated as "maestro di cappella" at the feast of St Jerome in the Saint Jerome of the Slavs church in Rome. He returned to Šibenik in 1618 and two years later he moved to Split, where he became prior of the Franciscan monastery in addition to being director of music at the Cathedral, where he lived until his death. While Lukačić's sojourn in Italy is insufficiently documented, his engagement in Split, both as a prior and musician, left quite a record of first-class importance  for the musical life of that time in Dalmatia. Works. "Sacrae cantiones singulis binis ternis quaternis quinisque vocibus concinendae", Venezia, A. Gardano, 1620; 1 motet reprinted in "Deliciae sacrae musicae… Quas ex lectissimo lectissimorum nostri aevi musicorum penu, quaternis vocibus, cum basso ad organum applicato, suavissime modulandas exprompsit… ac… publice posuit, Ioannes Reininger", Ingolstadt, 1626 (= RISM 1626/2); 5 motets reprinted in "Promptuarii musici concentus ecclesiasticos CCXXXVI. selectimos, II. III. & IV. vocum. Cum basso continuo & generali, organo applicato, e diversis et praestantissimis Germaniae Italiae et aliis aliarum terrarum musicis collectos exhibens, pars tertia… Opera et studio Joannis Donfrid, scholae Neccaro  Rottenburgicae, nec non ad D. Martini ibidem musices moderatoris", Strasbourg, 1627, vol 3 (= RISM 1627/1). In 1620 Lukačić published his only collection of motets "Sacrae cantiones". According to the title page and dedication, Giacomo Finetti, at that time "maestro di cappella" at the church dei Frari in Venice, handed them to the Archbishop of Split. A total of 27 motets were probably written during Lukačić’s long stay in Italy. Characteristic of his monodies are clear melodic lines and the simplicity of harmonic flow. Monodic motets such as "Cantabo Domino, Sicut cedrus," and "Oscluletur me", which like the majority  of the pieces from the collection resort to biblical texts or liturgical readings, are brilliantly balanced miniatures. Among two-part motets, "Da pacem, Domine" is of exceptional virtuosity, while the three-part "Domine, puer meus" contains an oratorio-like dramatic dialogue between Christ, the narrator, and the centurion. The four-part "Quam pulchra es" has choral "prima pratica" sections, Gabrielian refrains in a dance-like rhythm, while solo parts are in the new "seconda pratica" style. At the beginning of the 17th century the new baroque style was already accepted in Dalmatia, and Split, where composers like T. Cecchini and  M. Romano were active, was one of the most important musical center. Lukačić achieved a fine synthesis of the early baroque Venetian church style and local traits. In popular media. The early music Ensemble Renaissance performs and has recorded a setting of his motets as part of its "Journey through Dalmatia" program.