Lelio Colista

Who was Lelio Colista?

Lelio Colista was an Italian Baroque composer and lutenist.

Funded by his father, who held an important position in the Vatican Library, Colista early received an excellent musical education, probably at the Seminario Romano. He mastered several instruments, especially the lute and theorbo. Already at the age of 30, he held a lucrative post of custode delle pittore at the papal chapel. In 1664, supported by the Cardinal Flavio Chigi, he performed at Versailles at the court of Louis XIV. During the last 20 years of his life, he was a composer and teacher in Rome who was in demand. He was the guitar teacher of Gaspar Sanz.

He wrote mostly instrumental music, and, though no pieces were published during his lifetime, his influence on the musicians residing in Rome was significant. His music was written in a simpler and less demanding style than that of his contemporaries. Arcangelo Corelli mentioned him in the preface to his Opus 1 as one of the più professori musici di Roma. Henry Purcell valued his counterpoint skills.