Carissimi

by Graham Dixon

Published December 1985
Carissimi (1605-74), the first Roman composer of international stature after Palestrina, was a crucial figure in the development of the Baroque oratorio, canta, and concertato motet. In his day, Carissimi's reputation was as great as that of Monteverdi, and his music directly influenced works by many composers, including Charpentier and Handel. This book is the first to offer a critical survey of Carissimi's music and to place him into the mainstream of baroque musical life in Rome.