Franciscus Bossinensis or also called Franjo Bosanac, (fl. 1509 – 1511) (Francis the Bosnian) was a lutenist-composer active in Italy at the beginning of the 16th century.
It is completely unknown the origin of the composer (maybe Croatia or maybe Bosnia), as well it is unknown where he had his musical education.
Some musicologists, like Josip Andreis, are considering him as a Croatian: “The Ricercars of Bossinensis are also important as the first known example of instrumental music published and composed by a Croatian artist” (Music in Croatia, 1974).
Other musicologists, like Zija Kučukaliċ, are considering Bossinensis like a Bosnian: “the composer most interesting of that period of Bosnian music is Franjo Bosanac (Franciscus Bossinensis)” (The Development of Musical Culture in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo, 1967).
Another musicologist, Dragutin Plamenac, supposed that the composer was a franciscan from Bosnia or a court musician of some Bosnian king.
Finally, Ennio Stipčeviċ: “The hypothesis that Francis the Bosnian was a Croatian Bosnian is really plausible”. What Bojan Bujic reformulate as follows: It is possible that he was part of the wave of refugees established in Dalmatia or in Italy at the end of the XV century.
Despite his Slavic origins Franjo Bosanac (who was always using the latinized form of his name Franciscus Bossinensis) is clearly part of the history of the Renaissance music of North Italy, for his activity in Venice and, specially, for the collaboration he established with the Venetian publisher Ottaviano Petrucci.
Ottaviano Petrucci was demanding Franciscus Bossinensin to transcribe a hundred of Frottole, already published in their original form by Petrucci, for voice and lute.
In 1509 and 1511, Franciscus Bossinensis was publishing two collections of music for lute. They are in between the first printed books for lute in the history of music, just after the collections by Francesco Spinacino (2 books in 1507), by Giovanni Ambrogio Dalza (1508) and by Giovan Maria Giudeo (1508)

The two collections, both titled “Tenori e contrabassi intabulati col sopran in canto figurato per cantar e sonar col lauto” are the first printed books for voice and lute.
The two books are including 126 frottole (4-voices songs) by Bossinensis and other composers like Marchetto Cara e Bartolomeo Tromboncino, transcribed for voice and lute. The two books are also including 46 short ricercare, little piece for solo lute to be played before or after the “frottole”.

The piece was originally written for lute, and transcribed for keyboard by Bojan Rakanovich

The image before the music is from M. M., and we would like to thank him for his kind permission to reproduce his painting.

There is no copyright infringement intended. if you wish this recording to be removed, it can be done, please just let us know and the video will be removed.

свернуть