FRESCOBALDI, Girolamo

Born in Ferrara, bap. mid-Sept 1583
Died in Rome, March 1, 1643

[jee-ROH-lah-moh freh-sko-BALL-dee]

• Girolamo Frescobaldi was a keyboard virtuoso who composed some of the most important Italian harpsichord and organ music of the early 17^th century.
• Frescobaldi spent his career working as an organist in prestigious Italian churches and as a court musician for noble families, including the Medici.
• Frescobaldi was also the first European composer to focus on instrumental music rather than mainly on vocal music.¹

1. Frederick Hammond and Alexander Silbiger, “Frescobaldi, Girolamo [Gerolamo, Girolimo] Alessandro.” Grove Music Online (2001), accessed October 8, 2019, https://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/grovemusic/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.001.0001/omo-9781561592630-e-0000010219.