Orazio Vecchi

Orazio Vecchi Tiberio ( baptized December 6, 1550 in Modena, † February 19, 1605 ) was an Italian conductor and composer.

He was educated at the Benedictine Abbey of St. Pietro in his hometown and became a priest. His musical mentor was the monk Salvatore Essenga. He initially worked as a music teacher in Modena before he was Director of Music in 1581 in Salò. A few years later he took over this position at the Cathedral of Modena, his hometown. Two years later he lost this office but again, since he had applied without the knowledge of those responsible in Modena for a job in Reggio Emilia, but without success. Familial and thus also requires financial problems had led him to this step. He then worked for several years at the cathedral in Correggio, before he returned to Modena in 1593, where he was re-appointed as Director of Music. In 1604 he was removed from office due to an intrigue of his post; his early death in the following year may be due to this great disappointment.

Vecchi was a successful composer of secular and sacred music. He created madrigals, motets, canzoni, fairs canzonettas and several other compositions, many of which have appeared in print and placed several times in part. He showed himself a master of both the sound design and tone-painting as well as the expressive vocal style. His most famous work, which originated in Modena in 1594 Commedia Harmonia Anfiparnasso, even considered some to be earlier operas trial, but is now no longer seen, despite its importance in this context.