Grandi, Alessandro (c. 1575-c. 1630)

Italian composer. His church music was in part inspired by the spacious architecture of St Mark's, Venice, and many of his motets are in the concertato style, with singers positioned in different parts of the church to give a ‘stereophonic’ effect. His later motets employ instrumental accompaniments and anticipate the sacred concertos of Heinrich Schütz and other north European masters.

Grandi may have studied under Giovanni Gabrieli in Venice. He was maestro di cappella at Santo Spirito, Ferrara, 1610-17, and then at St Mark's, where he sang under Monteverdi's direction and became his deputy in 1620. In 1627 he became choirmaster at the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore in Bergamo. He died of the plague.

Works five Masses, about 200 motets, psalms; madrigals; cantatas, arias for solo voice.