Orfeo Vecchi

Orfeo Vecchi (ca. 15511603) was an Italian composer and choirmaster. His most important appointment as choirmaster was at Santa Maria alla Scala, Milan. His earliest extant compositions date from 1588.

Biography Vecchi was born sometime around the year 1551 and educated in the Vercelli Cathedral. In 1580 Vecchi was nominated by Charles Borromeo for the post of the newly created position of "maestro di cappella" at Santa Maria alla Scala, in good part because of the combination of his youth and training. This effort was successful. in the post-Tridentine style, His tenure at Santa Maria alla Scala returned the institution to its leading place among musical establishments in Milan. His reputation was such that a collection of his work was published (though at no benefit to himself) in its entirety outside Milan.

Compositions He is best known for his two collections of "sacred madrigals", La Donna vestita di sole (1590) and Scielta de Mardrigali (1604). The second of these, published by his brother a year after his death, contains works borrowed from the secular madrigals of other composers, and modified into motets with Latin sacred texts substituting for the original lyrics. His output of motets, psalms, masses, and other musical works was unmatched in his time.