Gioseffo Zarlino

Gioseffo Zarlino ( born March 22, 1517 Chioggia, † February 14, 1590 in Venice ) was an Italian conductor, music theorist and composer.

Life and work

Zarlino studied with Adrian Willaert in Venice. In 1565 he succeeded by Cypriano de Rore as Kapellmeister at St. Mark's Basilica in Venice and had that position until his death.

The narrated from him compositional works is clearly and among other works includes several motets and madrigals. Music History significant is his work as a music theorist. Many call him the " father of modern music theory." His most famous student was the music theorist and composer Vincenzo Galilei, father of Galileo Galilei. Another well-known student is Giovanni Croce.

By Gioseffo Zarlino's theoretical work, which are based essentially on the font Musica theorica by Lodovico Fogliano, the diatonic head has prevailed over the Pythagorean ladder.

Zarlino could be build in 1548 by Domenico de Pesaro, a harpsichord with 19 keys per octave to play on music of ancient Greece and compositions of his time.

Works (selection)

• Le Istitutioni harmoniche (Venice, 1558/1573 )
• Dimostrationi harmoniche (1571 )
• Sopplimenti musicali ( 1588)