Durante, Francesco (1684-1755)

Italian composer. His works consist largely of church music, also sonatas, toccatas, and other pieces for harpsichord. Unusually for a Neapolitan composer, he wrote no operas.

He was educated in Naples, where in 1742 he became maestro di cappella at the Conservatorio di S Maria and in 1745 at that of S Onofrio. His pupils included Tommaso Traetta, Giovanni Paisiello, Antonio Sacchini, Giovanni Pergolesi, and Niccolò Piccinni.