(b Frattamaggiore, March 31, 1684 d Naples, 30 Sept 1755). Italian composer. A pupil of His uncle in Naples, he spent time in Rome and Also Probably before working abroad as first teacher at the Naples Conservatory Poor of Jesus Christ, 1728-39. From 1742 he was first master’s at Our Lady of Loreto, the largest Neapolitan conservatory, and from 1745 Also at StOnofrio. He was venerated as the finest composition teacher in Naples; Were Among His Pupils Pergolesi, Piccini and Anfossi.
Unusually Among Neapolitan composers, wrote no operas during, althoug h wrote sacred and secular and sacred cantatas dramas. He Made His Name chiefly through His sacred works, which effectively includes all the liturgical and devotional genres current. Among Them are masses (egthe Missa in Palestrina, 1739) in the traditional style Palestrina, to more modern touches added during Which did His contemporary than Leo, and works with modern instruments, Such as Motets and Psalms, using lighter textures and Sometimes Thematic and harmonic contrasts, strong dissonances, and expressive dynamics and scoring. Careful construction distinguishes His latest works. Also notable are His instrumental pieces, six harpsichord sonatas Including (c 1732) and eight concerts for string quartet (? C 1740), and His many works Didactic.
