Origins & Early Life

Gioseffo Zarlino (31 January or 22 March 1517 – 4 February 1590) was an Italian music theorist and composer of the Renaissance. He made a large contribution to the theory of counterpoint as well as to musical tuning. Zarlino was born in Chioggia, near Venice. His early education was with the Franciscans, and he later joined the order himself.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

In 1536 he was a singer at Chioggia Cathedral, and by 1539 he not only became a deacon, but also principal organist. In 1540 he was ordained, and in 1541 went to Venice to study with the famous contrapuntist and maestro di cappella of Saint Mark's, Adrian Willaert. In 1565, on the resignation of Cipriano de Rore, Zarlino took over the post of maestro di cappella of St. Mark's, one of the most prestigious musical positions in Italy, and held it until his death. While maestro di cappella he taught some of the principal figures of the Venetian school of composers, including Claudio Merulo, Girolamo Diruta, Giovanni Croce, the famous reactionary polemicist Giovanni Artusi, as well as Vincenzo Galilei, the father of the astronomer Galileo Galilei.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

While he was a moderately prolific composer, and his...

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