A contemporary typified him as the 'Orpheus of Rome'.
Purcell called him 'the renowned Lelio Colista'. But that was then, nowadays his name does not yield much recognition. In his 17th century, however, he was a successful musician and composer, who was an example to the young Corelli. Both his oratorios have unfortunately been lost, his musical legacy is mainly instrumental. His three-voiced Sinphony
… sounds very serene, as if they want to spare even the most sensitive ears. It is sweet, angelic music, you cannot imagine what the Pope would have against it. Nevertheless, the article in Grove Music Online assumes that the Sinphony clashed with papal guidelines because of influences from popular dance music. It is possible that this has hindered the familiarity of this already unpublished music. Nevertheless, the influence on younger generations must have been great. After all, this is a kind of trio sonata, the genre that flourished in the late Baroque period. (HJ)more
