Girolamo Frescobaldi

Girolamo Frescobaldi , 1583-1643, Italian organist and composer. He became organist at St. Peter's in Rome in 1608, where huge crowds came during most of his life to hear him play and improvise. From 1628 to 1634 he was organist at the court of the Medici in Florence. Through his pupil Johann Froberger , who carried his style to Germany, Frescobaldi's "noble" style and technique of improvisation influenced German organ style through the time of J. S. Bach. Besides numerous works for organ, he wrote some instrumental and vocal music.

Frescobaldi, Girolamo (b Ferrara, 1583; d Rome, 1643). It. composer and organist. Held post at Antwerp, becoming org. at St Peter's, Rome, 1608–28 (30,000 are said to have attended his f.p. there, an indication of his reputation as a virtuoso). Org. at Florentine court 1628–33, returning to St Peter's thereafter. Comp. motets and madrigals, Masses and Magnificats, but prin. achievements were his toccatas, fugues, ricercari, and capriccios for org. and hpd. His mus. had strong influence on Ger. mus. through his pupil Froberger. Baroque music for the next century was influenced by Frescobaldi's development of variation-form.