(b Castelfranco, 25 July 1654; d Frankfurt, 12 Feb 1728). Italian composer and diplomat. In 1667-88 he served at the Munich court; after studying in Rome (1672-4) he became court organist and in 1681 (the year of his first opera) director of chamber music. He next moved to the Duke of Hanover's court, where he became Kapellmeister, but he grew increasingly active in diplomatic affairs and spent some time in Vienna and Brussels involved in negotiation. After entering the service of the Elector Palatine at Düsseldorf in 1703, he virtually gave up music; he had three operas staged, but only one was certainly new. He returned to Hanover in 1709 as Apostolic Vicar in northern Germany. In 1727 he became president of the Academy of Vocal Music in London, for which he composed.

Steffani's principal works are his c 70 chamber duets for two voices and continuo, which represent an important stage in Italian secular music between Carissimi and Handel. They have up to six movements and feature perfect formal balance, supple melody and elegant counterpoint; Handel was much influenced by them. Many duets appear in his 18 dramatic works, which also have French features. His six full-length Hanover operas (1689-95) influenced opera development in northern Germany. Among his other works are psalms, motets and solo cantatas.

The Concise Grove Dictionary of Music. Copyright © 1994 by Oxford University Press, Inc.. All rights reserved.