(b Frattamaggiore, 31 March 1684; d Naples, 30 Sept 1755). Italian composer. A pupil of his uncle in Naples, he also spent time in Rome and probably abroad before working as primo maestro at the Naples conservatory Poveri di Gesù Cristo, 1728-39. From 1742 he was primo maestro at's Maria di Loreto, the largest Neapolitan conservatory, and from 1745 also at StOnofrio. He was venerated as the finest composition teacher in Naples; among his pupils were Pergolesi, Anfossi and Piccinni.

Unusually among Neapolitan composers, Durante wrote no operas, although he wrote sacred dramas and secular and sacred cantatas. He made his name chiefly through his sacred works, which include all the current liturgical and devotional genres. Among them are masses (e.g.the Missa in Palestrina, 1739) in the traditional Palestrina style, to which Durante added more modern touches than did his contemporary Leo, and stile moderno works with 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, including six harpsichord sonatas (c 1732) and eight Concerti per quartetto (? c 1740), and his many didactic works.

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