Porta, Constanzo

1530-1601

 

Franciscan monk; known for his church-music and madrigals. Born at Cremona, Italy; he studied at Venice under Willaert, and there in 1555 published his first work, a book of motets, which were followed by four other books up to 1585, containing motets. He was chapelmaster at the Cathedral in Osima from 1552 to 1564; at the Franciscan Chapel in Padua from 1565 to 1567; at the leading church in Ravenna till 1575; then at Santa Casa in Loreto, but again at Ravenna; and finally back to Padua, where he was at the Cathedral in 1585, and at San Antonio again from 1595 until his death. Porta published two volumes of introitus and a book of masses. He also wrote psalms, hymns, lamentations, madrigals, and a treatise on counterpoint. In Hawkins* History is a piece for four voices, published in 1600 in L'Artusi Overo delle Imperfettioni della moderna musica by Artusi of Bologna, which may be sung backwards and upside down.