Gabrieli Sheet Music

Gabrieli Sheet Music and Biography

A photograph of the tomb of Giovanni Gabrieli — Giovanni Gabrieli’s Tombstone

Giovanni Gabrieli was an Italian composer, born in Venice circa 1554/1557. He composed during the late Renaissance and Baroque periods and he used each style. He was also an organist and teacher.

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Career

Little is known about Gabrieli’s early life, however, it is thought that he was brought up taught by his uncle Andrea who was the organist at St Mark’s Cathedral from the 1560s.

Between 1575 and 1579 Gabrieli worked under Orlando di Lasso in Munich as had his uncle before him.

Giovanni returned to Venice, and in 1585 his much-loved uncle died. Gabrieli succeeded him as second organist and principal composer at St Mark’s Cathedral. He remained in this post until his death in 1612. He was also appointed organist of Scuola Grade di San Rocco in 1585 and composed ceremonial music.

His distinctive music was derived from his time at St Mark’s for which he wrote both vocal and instrumental works.

Alongside his position as organist, he was a teacher. Heinrich Schütz, the German composer was one of his students.

His health went into decline around 1606 and he eventually died of complications from a kidney stone in 1612.