BUONAMENTE, Giovanni Battista – All Classical Research

Born in Mantua, late 16th century
Died in Assisi, Aug 29, 1642

Much of Giovanni Battista Buonamente’s [bwoh-nah-MEN-teh] life is murky, but we do have some benchmarks.
He may have worked under Monteverdi at the Gonzaga court in Mantua. Records indicate Buonamente left the court in 1622. From 1626 until the early 1630s, he served as a musician to the Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II in Vienna.
Throughout his career, Buonamente worked as a violinist, singer, choirmaster, and composer, and was also a member of the Franciscan order. In 1633, Buonamente took on a post as violinist at the Basilica di San Francesco in Assisi. He was soon appointed maestro di cappella, a post he held until his death.
As a composer, Buonamente is most remembered for writing violin works. He also wrote over 160 sacred works, though nearly all have been lost. His surviving works include sinfonias, sonatas, canzonas and dances.
- Part of Buonamente’s legacy lies in introducing his “new violin style” to Vienna.¹