composer

Conversi, Girolamo

Little is known of the life of Girolamo Conversi, but what we know is from some dedications to his madrigal books. He was born in Correggio (hence the suffix to his name - a usual extension in his time). He was a rewarded composer in the last quarter of the 16th century. As far as we know Conversi has written only secular music.
In 1575 he dedicated a book of madrigals to Antoine Perrenot de Granvelle, the Spanish Viceroy of Naples, in whose service he was, according to the dedication in the madrigal book. Probably he lived in Naples himself - Naples being a Spanish Kingdom in that era. No other positions at aristocratic courts or religious institutions are known - a very unusual fact for a popular composer in his time.
Since there are only reprints after 1575, he may have died in that year. In 1584 there was another publication: a book of madrigals for 6 voices, probably a reprint of an earlier edition which has been lost.
Conversi’s madrigals, though dramatic and literary as usual, also show the lightness of the 'canzona alla napolitana', as the villanella was also called in this part of the peninsula. Conversi preferred lyrics for his madrigals by ancient poets like Francesco Petrarca, Pietro Bembo en Baldassare Castiglioni more than his contemporaries. Many of the madrigals have homophonic sections that suggest instrumental dances as a fundament to the love song.