Francesco Lambardi

Francesco Lambardi was active in early 17th century Naples as composer and performer. At that time Naples was ruled by a Viceroy of Kings Philip III and IV of Spain. Francesco’s father, Camillo, was maestro di cappella of the church of the Annunziata, and Francesco found himself in 1599 as treble then alto in the choir there. By 1607 he was in the choir of the Royal Chapel and his first book of villanellas was published in the same year. His ’Secondo libro de villanelle’ was printed in 1614 and the following year he acquired the life-long position of organist at the Royal Chapel.

By 1626 Lambardi found time to be director of music at the conservatory of the Pietá dei Turchini, a boys orphanage specializing in music. Later graduates from the Pietá include some of the most illustrious composers of the Baroque: Alessandro Scarlatti, Paisiello, and Pergolesi. Francesco went on to hold yet another significant position in Naples in 1628, that of maestro at the church of Santa Maria della Nova next to the Royal Palace. He died in Naples in 1642