(b Florence, 1 May 1582; d there, 25 Feb 1643). Italian composer. He first worked at S Lorenzo, Florence (from 1602), and took part in performances by the Compagnia dell′ Arcangelo Raffaello, becoming its maestro di cappella in 1609. In 1607 he founded the Accademia degli Elevati, a society of leading Florentine musicians. In this period he had contact with the Mantuan court, where his opera Dafne was successfully staged in 1608. He was maestro di cappella of Florence Cathedral from 1608 and of the Medici court from 1608-9, composing for both establishments. Later he also held ecclesiastical posts.

Gagliano's Dafne, to a text by Rinuccini, is a milestone in the early history of opera. It is much less austere in style than similar works by other Florentines, and like Monteverdi's Orfeo it includes traditional genres - airs, duets, trios and choruses - as well as recitative passages. His other opera, La Flora (1628, Florence), is similar in style; this and others of his stage works were composed with Jacopo Peri. His secular vocal music, much acclaimed in his time, includes some 90 madrigals and several monodies (notably Valli profonde, 1615). The madrigals (mostly in five parts) are often homophonic, and the later ones are especially direct in expression. He also composed well over 100 sacred works, among them Latin masses, motets etc and some spiritual madrigals; they range from monodies to double-choir settings. His Holy Week responsories (1630-31) remained in use long after his death.

His brother Giovanni Battista (1594-1651) succeeded him as maestro di cappella of Florence Cathedral and the Medici court in 1643, and wrote occasional and sacred music, including two oratorios (lost) and Varie musiche (1623, unusual in grouping madrigalian and strophic pieces with sacred works).

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