ANERIO, GIOVANNI FRANCESCO

(c. 1567, Rome – buried 12 June 1630, Graz, Austria)

Organistand priest who introduced the vernacularoratoriowith hisTeatro Armonico Spirituale(1619), written for the Oratory of St. Filippo Neri. It contains the earliest surviving obbligatoinstrumentalparts in Rome. He also composed severalmasses, 83motets, andSelva armonica(1617), a collection of Latin motets andmadrigali spiritualiin Italian for one to four voices representating the latest trends.

See alsoMedicean Chant.