Costanzo Porta

(1528/9 - 1601)



Italian composer, a pupil of Willaert; became a Franciscan monk and held posts in many Italian centres - at S. Antonio, Padua, in 1565-7 and 1595-1601, Ravenna cathedral in 1567-74 and 1580-9, and Loreto in 1574-80. He was an excellent teacher, numbering Viadana among his pupils. His output includes three extant books of madrigals, one of Masses, four of motets, and a further four of other liturgical music- Introits, hymns and psalms. In his Masses he aimed to make the text intelli ble according to the wishes of the Council of Trent. His motets show greatcontrapuntal skill, while his double-choir psalms are fine products of the fashion for cori spezzati.He also published keyboard music.



IVO: Sacred Music in the Italian Cinquecentooutside Venice and Rome