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Vincenzo Ruffo

Vincenzo Ruffo (c.1510 - 1587) was an Italian Renaissance composer.

Vincenzo Ruffo was born at Verona, and became a priest there in 1531. He published his first book of music in 1539, and is believed the be the first Italian to have a mass published in 1542. In 1542 he also went to Milan to work for Alfonso d'Avalos, who was the governor of Milan at this time. When d'Avalos was called back to Madrid in 1546, Ruffo went back to in Verona, where he directed music at Accademia Filarmonica in 1551-2 and 1554 became the choirmaster at the cathedral.

His music during this time was strongly influenced by the Franco-Flemish school, but when he in 1563 became maestro in the cathedral of Milan under Carlo Borromeo, he began composing in the Tridentine style of which Borromeo was a strong supporter. In 1572 he became the maestro at Pistoia, and then Milan again and he died in 1587 as the maestro of the cathedral in Sacile.

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