Benedetto Ferrari

Wikipedia: Benedetto Ferrari (ca. 1603 – 1681) was an Italian composer, particularly of opera, librettist, and theorbo player. None of his operatic music survives. Extant works include libretti, an oratorio, and three books of monodies under the title Musiche varie a voce sola (Venice 1633, 1637, 1641). Though the last were composed within a relatively short time span, they reflect the changing style of accompanied monody, from the emergence of recitar cantando (midway between song and speech) to the vocal style that is typical of mid-17th century opera, with a more distinctive melody and a clearer rhythm.

• Other Italian composers