Antonio Valente (c. 1520 – died somewhere between 1596 and 1601) was an Italian Renaissance organist and composer. Biography It is believed that Antonio Valente was born in ; although the exact date and place of his birth are unknown. He was principally active in the city of Naples; although documents indicate that he was naturalized citizen of that city and was not born there. He was blind from early childhood and served as organist of Sant'Angelo a Nilo in Naples from November 1565 to May 1580. During that time he published two collections of keyboard instruments music: Intavolatura de cimbalo (1 fantasia, 6 ricercares, Salve regina, 3 intabulations, 6 sets of variations, and 3 dances; 1575) and Versi spirituali (43 versets; 1580).Apel, Willi. 1972. The History of Keyboard Music to 1700. Translated by Hans Tischler. Indiana University Press. . Originally published as Geschichte der Orgel- und Klaviermusik bis 1700 by Bärenreiter-Verlag, Kassel.
Valente's second collection is historically important as one of the earliest instances of liturgical music free from any ties with the chant. Versi spirituali provides a wealth of diverse, freely composed pieces that cover the entire liturgy—the Mass and the Daily Offices. Valente's first collection of 1575 is also a major landmark in the history of Italian keyboard music, as together with Rocco Rodio's Libro di ricercate (1575) it constitutes the earliest work of the so-called Neapolitan school, which later produced composers such as Ascanio Mayone and Giovanni Maria Trabaci.
21st century scholarship uncovered documents at the which indicate that Valente had seven children with his wife, Laura Palomba, that were baptized at this church between February 1576 and March 1596. A 1601 publication by one of his contemporaries states that he was no longer living. He died somewhere between 1596 and 1601. Works Intavolatura de cimbalo, for harpsichord Versi spirituali sopra tutti le note, for organ
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Versi spirituali