Camillo Cortellini

Who was Camillo Cortellini?

Camillo Cortellini was an Italian composer, singer, and violinist.

Cortellini was born in Bologna, son of the composer Gaspare "the viola" Cortellini, and following his father's profession Camillo was nicknamed "violino." His musical education was received first from his father who was employed at the Concerto Palatino della Signoria di Bologna, and then from Alfonso Ganassi.

On 26 February 1577, Camillo succeeded his father in the Concerto della Signoria. His first publications were secular music, 3 books of madrigals between 1583 and 1586. In 1593 he was elected cantor at the prestigious chapel of San Petronio Basilica, where he worked until his death in 1630, with a break between 1608 and 1610. Cortellini was the first composer in Bologna to publish concerted Masses with his Second Book of Masses in 1617.