Falcone, Achilla

views updated

Falcone, Achilla

Falcone, Achilla, Italian composer; b. Cosenza, c. 1573; d. there, Nov. 9, 1600. He was educated under his father, the composer Antonio Falcone. He became maestro di cappella in Caltagirone in Sicily, and also was a member of the Accademia in Cosenza. In 1600 he was challenged to a musical competition by the Spanish composer Sebastian Raval, which he won. Raval ap-pealed the decision of the adjudicator to the viceroy and demanded a new examination. Raval won the 2nd competition, probably as a result of Spanish favoritism. Falcone then appealed to Nanino and Soriano for a 3rd competition in Rome, but died before it could be held. Falcone’s father publ. Achillers 5-part madrigals (Venice, 1603), which also contains an account of his competitions with Raval, along with the competition pieces.

—Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire