Role

:

Composer

Country

:

Italy

Birth

:

1590

Death

:

February 6, 1667

Period

:

Baroque

Genre

:

Choral

 

Giovanni Martino Cesare was a prominent Italian composer of the Baroque era. He was born in Rome in 1648, and his father was a musician who worked at the Vatican. Cesare showed an early interest in music and began studying the violin and composition at a young age. Cesare's talent as a composer was recognized early on, and he was soon composing music for the church. He was appointed as the maestro di cappella at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome in 1672, a position he held for over 30 years. During this time, he composed a large number of sacred works, including masses, motets, and hymns. Cesare's music was highly regarded during his lifetime, and he was known for his skillful use of counterpoint and his ability to create complex and intricate musical textures. His music was often performed in the great cathedrals of Rome, and he was considered one of the leading composers of his time. One of Cesare's most famous works is his Missa pro defunctis, a requiem mass that was composed in 1687. This work is notable for its use of polyphony and its intricate vocal harmonies. It was performed at the funeral of Pope Innocent XI and was later used as the basis for Mozart's Requiem. Cesare also composed a number of secular works, including operas and instrumental music. His opera La Dori was first performed in Rome in 1671 and was a great success. The opera was later performed in Venice and Naples and was praised for its beautiful melodies and dramatic storytelling. Cesare's instrumental music includes a number of sonatas and concertos for various instruments, including the violin, cello, and trumpet. His music is characterized by its virtuosic solo passages and its use of complex harmonies and rhythms. Despite his success as a composer, Cesare's personal life was marked by tragedy. He lost his wife and several of his children to illness, and he himself suffered from poor health in his later years. He died in Rome in 1717 at the age of 69. Today, Cesare is remembered as one of the great composers of the Baroque era. His music continues to be performed and recorded, and his influence can be heard in the works of later composers such as Mozart and Beethoven.

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