Leone Leoni (composer)

Leone Leoni (c. 1560 – 1627^[1]) was a North Italian polyphonic composer who served as maestro di cappella at Vicenza Cathedral from 1588. He composed motets for antiphonal choirs,^[2] some in many parts, with instrumental accompaniment. As would be expected of a cathedral maestro di cappella, he also produced masses, psalms, magnificats and other liturgical music, some published in his Cantici sacri (1608) as well as sacred and secular madrigals.^[3]

Leoni succeeded Giammateo Asola, his master, as maestro di capella when Asola returned to Venice; he contributed to the anthology Psalmodia vespertina dedicated to Palestrina by Asola and published at Venice.^[4] Several books of his motets were printed under the title Sacri fiori ("Sacred flowers") at Venice, and reprinted.^[5] He was received as a member by the Accademia Olimpica, Vicenza, some time between 1609 and 1612.^[6] He died at Vicenza. A pupil is likely to have been Ludovico Balbi.^[7]