Felice Anerio

Felice Anerio (* 1560 in Narni, † September 1614 in Rome) was an Italian composer, the numerous works of church music, but also wrote secular music.

Life and work

Felice Anerio was a pupil of Giovanni Maria Nanino in Rome. After holding various positions as choir director Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, he followed to the post of composers of the papal chapel. Although his style was similar to its predecessor - several of his works have long been incorrectly attributed to Palestrina - he led but gradually new ideas, such as the use of the basso continuo. Felice Anerio was instrumental along with Francesco Soriano to the processing of the Editio Medicaea, in Gregorian chant has been reissued as a result of the Council of Trent.

His brother Giovanni Francesco Anerio, born in 1567 in Rome, was for some time royal Polish conductor and probably at the beginning of the 17th century worked in Rome as a conductor.

Works

• First Book of Hymns, Canticles and Motets for eight voices ( Venice, 1596)
• Three Books of Spiritual Madrigals for Five Voices
• Two Books of Spiritual Concerts for Four Voices