Croce, Giovanni
Croce, Giovanni
Croce, Giovanni , esteemed Italian composer, known as II Chiozzotto after his birthplace; b. Chioggia, c. 1557; d. Venice, May 15, 1609. He went to Venice at an early age and was a pupil of Zarlino, who placed him in the choir of S. Marco. After taking holy orders in 1585, he was active at the church of S. Maria Formosa. In 1590 he was made vice-maestro di cappella at S. Marco, where he taught singing at its seminary from 1593. In 1603 he became maestro di cappella at S. Marco. Croce was one of the principal Venetian composers of sacred and secular music of his time. In all, he publ. 14 vols. of sacred music, including three vols. of masses (Venice, 1596,1596, 1599), and 10 vols. of secular music, including two notable vols. of canzonette (Venice, 1588,1601), and four vols. of madrigals (Venice, 1585, 1590, 1592, 1607). Several of his works have been publ. in modern editions.
Bibliography
L. Putz, Die Tonsymbolik im Madrigalwerk G. C.s (Graz, 1976); D. Gustafson, G. C/s Mascarate piacevoli et ridicolose per il carnevale: A Contextual Study and Critical Edition (diss., Univ. of Minn., 1992).
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire