Vecchi, Orfeo

Vecchi, Orfeo, distinguished Italian composer; b. probably in Milan, c. 1550; d. there before April 1604. He became a priest and was maestro di cappella of the royal and ducal church of S. Maria della Scala in Milan from about 1590 until his death. He was an outstanding polyphonist.

Works

(all publ. in Milan unless otherwise given): Missarum liber primusfor 5 Voices (1588); Missa, psalmi ad Vesperas dominicales, Magnificat et psalmorum modulationes (1590); Psalmi integri in totius anni solemnitatibus, 2 Magnificat, 4 antiphonae ad B.V.M. for 5 Voices and Basso Continuo (1596); Missarum liber primusfor 4 Voices and Basso Continuo (1597); Missarum liber secundus, Missa pro defunctis, sacrae cantionesfor 5 Voices (1598); Motectorum liber secundusfor 5 Voices and Basso Continuo (1598); Motectorum liber tertiusfor 6 Voices (1598); Falsi bordoni figurati sopra gli otto toni ecclesiastici, Magnificat, Te Deum laudamus, hinni, antifone, Letamefor 3 to 5 and 8 Voices (1600); Hymni totius anni..cum antiphonis et Litaniis B.V.M. for 5 Voices (1600); In septem Regii Prophetae psalmos, liber quartusfor 6 Voices (1601); Psalmi in totius anni solemnitatibus, 2 Magnificatfor 5 Voices (1601); Missarum liber tertiusfor 5 Voices (1602); La donna vestita di sole...21 madrigali (1602); Magnificat liber primusfor 5 Voices (1603); Motectorum liber primusfor 4 Voices (1603); Cantiones sacraefor 6 Voices (Antwerp, 1608); other works in contemporary collections.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire