composer

Colombano, Orazio

Date of birth: c.1550
Date of death: 1595

Orazio Colombano was an Italian composer of the Late-Renaissance. He was born in Verona c. 1550, probably near 1554. Some sources derive his birth year from an indication on the edition of his collection of psalms for 6 voices in 1579: ‘when he was 25 years of age’. His name is often spelled as Colombani, but in most cases in early literature this was the genitive form. So I preferred Colombano as his family name.
His musical education came from Costanzo Porta in Padua, Ravenna or Loreto, this is not sure. There are very few reliable sources.
He was a monk in the order of St. Frances in Milan.
Colombano became maestro di cappella in the cathedrals of Vercelli (1579), Milan (1583) and Brescia (1585).
He was very prolific in sacred music: psalters (for, 5, 6 & 9 voices), motet books, hymns, masses (1606), but madrigals as well (2 books, 1598). Most of the works have been published in Venice (Amadino and Gardano) and Brescia (Sabbio).