Ercole Porta

(1585-1630)

Italian composer. Held church posts in various small north Italian towns including Carpi; wrote a book of secular monodies and duets but was mainly a church composer, adopting the up-to-date concertato style. His Sacro convito(1620) contains an early orchestral Mass for 5-part choir and church orchestra of two violins and three trombones; trombones are also used to sonorous effect in a duet motet.



VA: Monody and the Vocal Concerto