Vicentino, Nicola

Priest, composer and theorist; born at Vincenza. He received his musical instruction from Adrian Willaert at Venice. He was ordained, then became chapelmaster of Ipolito of Este, cardinal of Ferarra, living many years with him in Rome. While there he published a volume of madrigals, in which he demonstrated his idea of restoring the old scales of the Greeks. He met with great opposition, particularly from the Portuguese musician, Vicente Lusitano, and in defense published a theoretical work, called L'Antica Musica Ridotta alia Moderna Prattica. He invented an instrument, the archicembalo, which had several keyboards. He was a masterful performer on the clavichord.

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