| Luca Marenzio (born 1553 or 1554 in Coccaglio near Brescia; died 22nd August 1599 in Rome) was an Italian composer. Marenzio received his education as a chorister from the chapel master of Brescia, Giovanni Contino. With his collection of madrigals being published in Venice, Marenzino already appeared in 1580 as a composer in public and at the same time he tarried at the court of the Polish king, but he returned in 1581 to Italy and found his place of work in Rome at first at private chapels and from 1595 on finally at the pontifical chapel. Marenzio has become well known by his madrigals which earned him the nickname "piu dolce cigno d'Italla", but he has also proved himself wonderfully as a composer for sacred music. The boldness of his modulation and the free use of the chromaticism make him appear as the ancestor of the dramatic music which prevailed shortly after his death albeit an interlude (intérmedio) "Il combattimento d'Apolline col serpente", that was performed in 1585, composed and written by Luca Marenzio in the usual madrigal style. |
