View source for Paolo Agostino

{{Short description|Italian composer and organist}}
[[File:Paolo Agostini by James Caldwall.jpg|thumb|Paolo Agostino, engraving by [[James Caldwall]]]]

'''Paolo Agostino''' (or '''Agostini'''; '''Augustinus''' in [[Latin]]; {{circa}} 1583 – 1629) was an Italian [[composer]] and [[organ (music)|organist]] of the early [[Baroque music|Baroque]] era. He was born perhaps at [[Vallerano]], near [[Viterbo]]. He studied under [[Giovanni Bernardino Nanino]], according to the dedication in the third and fourth books of his [[mass (music)|masses]]. Subsequently, he married Nanino's daughter.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Agostino, Paolo |url=https://www.biblicalcyclopedia.com/A/agostino-paolo.html |website=biblicalcyclopedia.com |access-date=14 March 2024}}</ref>

He held a series of positions as organist and ''maestro di cappella'' ([[choirmaster]]) between 1607 and 1626 when he succeeded [[Vincenzo Ugolini]] as ''maestro'' of the [[Cappella Giulia]]'s [[choir]] in [[St. Peter's Basilica]].

All of his surviving works are sacred music, and most are written in the ''[[prima pratica]]'', the conservative [[polyphony|polyphonic]] style of the late 16th century, although some of his [[motet]]s use some of the new ''[[stile concertato]]''. He was a highly sophisticated [[counterpoint|contrapuntist]], often using strict [[canon (music)|canon]]ic techniques; in addition, he used colorful sonorities, changes of [[meter (music)|meter]] between sections, and colorful [[chromaticism]], showing an acquaintanceship with contemporary secular practice as well as the work of the [[Venetian School (music)|Venetian School]]. An ''[[Agnus Dei (music)|Agnus Dei]]'' for eight voices is especially admired and was used as an example in [[Giovanni Battista Martini|Padre Martini]]'s ''Saggio di contrappunto''.{{sfn|Völker|1913}}

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==References==
* {{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Agostino, Paolo}}
* {{Cite CE1913|last=Völker|first=James Alphonsus|wstitle=Paolo Agostini}}

==External links==
{{Catholic Encyclopedia poster|Paolo Agostini}}
*{{ChoralWiki|Paolo Agostini}}
*{{IMSLP|id=Agostini, Paolo}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Agostino, Paolo}}
[[Category:1580s births]]
[[Category:1629 deaths]]
[[Category:People from the Province of Viterbo]]
[[Category:Italian male classical composers]]
[[Category:Italian Baroque composers]]
[[Category:Italian Renaissance composers]]
[[Category:Italian classical organists]]
[[Category:Italian male classical organists]]
[[Category:17th-century Italian composers]]
[[Category:17th-century Italian male musicians]]


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