Giovanni Croce

Giovanni Croce (* 1557 in Chioggia, † May 15 1609 in Venice) was an Italian composer, conductor and priests of the Venetian Renaissance.

Life and work

Giovanni Croce was a student of Gioseffo Zarlino. He worked from 1565 as a chorister and singer, from 1594 as Vice- Kapellmeister and from 1603 to 1609 as director of music at St. Mark's Basilica in Venice. It was important for the development of the concertante style of the Venetian School. He composed madrigals, Canzonettas, motets, masses and organ music. Through a closed in the mid- 1590s acquaintance with John Dowland found his works in England dissemination.