Giovanni Maria Trabaci

Trabaci was a diverse composer who wrote motets, madrigals psalms, passions, masses and keyboard ricercares. His keyboard works preceded Frescobaldi with modulations, chromaticism, striking rhythms and can be classified among the earliest Baroque keyboard pieces. In the composition of his motets Trabaci employed the use of unusual arrangements with eight part works divided between two choirs. Trabaci composed approximately one hundred and sixty keyboard works, sixty vocal works for secular texts and one hundred and sixty sacred vocal works including numerous works devoted to the Virgin Mary. He spent his career as a tenor in the church of the Annunciation in Naples and organist for Spanish politicians in Naples finally acceding to the position of choir master. ~ Keith Johnson