Fontei, Nicolò

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Fontei, Nicolò

Fontei, Nicolò, Italian composer and organist; b. Orciano di Pesaro, March, date unknown; d. probably in Verona, c. 1647. He was active in Venice as a church organist before settling in Verona in 1645 as choirmaster at the Cathedral and teacher of the acolytes. In both his secular and sacred works, he acquired mastery of the Venetian triple-time bel canto aria. In his secular works, he also pioneered in the use of rondo or refrain structures. Among his secular works were 3 vols. of Bizzarrie poetiche poste in musica for 1 to 3 voices (Venice, 1635, 1636, 1639) and the opera Sidonio e Dorisbe (Venice, 1642). His sacred output included a Mass for 1 to 8 voices and instruments and other polyvocal works, as well as solo vocal pieces.

—Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire

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