Tromboncino, Bartolomeo
Tromboncino, Bartolomeo
Tromboncino, Bartolomeo, important Italian composer; b. in or near Verona, c. 1470; d. in or near Venice, c. 1535. He was active in Mantua until 1489, when he went to Florence; in 1494 he returned to Mantua, where he was active at the court; also traveled to other courts. His association with the Mantuan court was a stormy one, even though he was held in high esteem there; he fled the court in 1495 and went to Venice, but returned that same year. When he discovered his wife entertaining a lover in 1499, he murdered her; he appears, however, to have been pardoned at his trial. In 1501 he left Mantua again and made his way to Ferrara, where he was in the service of Lucrezia Borgia until 1508. He remained in Ferrara until at least 1513; in 1521 he went to Venice. Tromboncino was one of the leading composers of secular music of his era, producing over 150 frottolas. He also wrote some sacred music, including Lamentations and laude.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire