Venice, as well as other northern Italian cities, nurtured the growth of church music, and gave employment to many talented composers. Highlighting Venice's position as a publishing center, this book discusses the impact of the Counter-Reformation on sacred music, the institutions, cities, and towns where church music flourished, and the many liturgical considerations which affected composers' works. The age of Monteverdi spans the period from 1605-1643, when music was undergoing volatile change and stylistic experiment; his work represents a microcosm of the range of styles and textures of the sacred music of that time.