Biography
Among the leading figures in early sixteenth-century Italy, this composer ranked among the foremost creators of frottolas, both in sheer volume and in lasting significance. He ranked among the first to adopt the genre, introducing polyrhythmic textures that departed sharply from prevailing practice. Roughly one hundred and seventy frottolas came from his pen, although many never circulated because of a patent request submitted to Lorrenzo d'Medici that may ultimately have been approved. His sacred output encompassed seventeen laude written primarily in homorhythmic style, with additional passages that employed polyrhythmic scoring. Years of demanding service took him to Mantua and then to Ferrara, where he worked in the retinue of Lucrezia Borgia.