Giovanni Girolamo Kapsberger

Bio

Giovanni Girolamo Kapsberger (c. 1580–1651) was an Italian composer and lutenist of German descent who worked in Rome. He is remembered for his virtuoso writing for lute, theorbo, and chitarrone, as well as for his sacred and secular vocal music. Active during the early Baroque, Kapsberger published numerous collections of instrumental dances, toccatas, and variations that display an inventive approach to harmony and ornamentation. His music bridges late-Renaissance polyphony and the emerging Baroque style, and it remains a staple of the early-music repertoire today.