Monteverdi, Claudio, << `mahn` tuh VAIR dee, KLOW dyoh >> (1567-1643), was an Italian composer. His works greatly influenced the change from the strict style of Renaissance music to the emotional style of the baroque movement (see Baroque ). He is often considered the first important composer of opera, and his Orfeo (1607) the first modern opera. Only two of his other operas have survived in complete form–The Return of Ulysses (1641) and The Coronation of Poppea (1642), a great masterpiece.
Monteverdi was a genius at composing for orchestra. In writing for strings, he pioneered in using an agitated effect called tremolo and a plucking technique called pizzicato. He was also one of the great composers of religious music and madrigals (see Madrigal ). Monteverdi’s Vespers (1610) combined church chants with devices that were previously associated with secular (nonreligious) music using chords. These devices included arias (vocal solos) and recitative (speech recited to music).
Monteverdi was born in Cremona. From 1590 to 1612, he was employed as a musician and composer by the Duke of Mantua. From 1613 until his death, Monteverdi served as choirmaster of the Cathedral of St. Mark in Venice. Beginning in 1637, Monteverdi also served as composer for the first public opera house in Venice. He died on Nov. 29, 1643.
