Orazio Benevoli

Orazio Benevoli or Benevolo (19 April 1605 – 17 June 1672), was an Italian composer of large scaled polychoral sacred choral works; one work featured 48 vocal and instrumental lines.

He was born in Rome, to a French confectioner, Robert Venouot^[1], which name was Italianized to Benevolo.

Benevolo served as the choirmaster in various Roman churches from 1624 to 1643, then as Kapellmeister in the court of Archduke Leopold Wilhelm of Austria from 1643 to 1645. In 1646, Benevoli returned to Rome, where he was choirmaster at San Luigi dei Francesi, S. Maria Maggiore and the Cappella Giulia. He was Guardiano of the Congregazione di Santa Cecilia in 1654, 1665 and 1667. He died in Rome.

His pupils were Ercole Bernabei, Antimo Liberati and Paolo Lorenzani.

Works, editions and recordings

Benevoli's sacred compositions frequently make use of four or more choirs. Many of Benevoli's works are massive and in the Colossal Baroque style. 16 masses for 8 to 16 voices survive.^[2] Little of the music of Benevoli has been performed or recorded in modern times.

• Orazio Benevolo - Sacred Music - Missa Azzolina Magnificat Dixit Dominus, Le Concert Spirituel Niquet. Naxos
• Missa Tira Corda a 16 Tölzer Knabenchor dir. Gerhard Schmidt-Gaden 2010

References

1. ^ Robert Venouot came from Lorraine. See also Alberto Cametti, La scuola dei pueri cantus di S. Luigi dei francesi in Roma e i suoi principali allievi (1591-1623): Gregorio, Domenico e Bartolomeo Allegri, Antonio Cifra, Orazio Benevoli, Fratelli Bocca, Torino, 1915, p. 631.
2. ^ Reclams Führer zur lateinischen Kirchenmusik Michael Wersin - 2006 Etwa zeitgleich komponierte Orazio Benevolo (1605 bis 1672, ab 1646 Kapellmeister am Petersdom in Rom), von dem insgesamt etwa 16 acht- bis sechzehnstimmige Messzyklen überliefert sind, in Rom seine Missa Azzolina für zwei fünfstimmige

• Orazio Benevoli (1605 - 1672) at "Here Of A Sunday Morning" website
• Orazio Benevoli (1605-1672) at San Francisco Bach Choir
• Orazio Benevolo at Naxos Records
• Free scores by Orazio Benevoli in the Choral Public Domain Library (ChoralWiki)

Persondata
Name	Benevoli, Orazio
Alternative names	Benevolo, Orazio
Short description	composer
Date of birth	19 April 1605
Place of birth	Rome
Date of death	17 June 1672
Place of death	Rome