Giovanni Maria Nanino (1543/44–1607) was one of the most important musicians of late sixteenth century Rome. Active as papal singer, chapel master, composer, teacher, and as one of the protagonists of the newly founded Compagnia dei Eccellenti Musici di Roma, he had a deep impact on Roman musical development in the decades around 1600. It is especially in the madrigal, the most popular genre of the cinquecento, that one can admire Nanino’s ability to bring together traditional stylistic elements...