Sylvestro Ganassi

Sylvestro Ganassi dal Fontego (born 1492 or 1493, Venice; died after 1543, Venice) was an Italian Renaissance musician, teacher, and writer whose enduring importance lies in his foundational treatises on instrumental performance and ornamentation. A native of Venice, he was associated with the city’s civic musical life and is documented as a player of wind instruments, especially the recorder, and as a string player (the viol). Ganassi’s career is best understood through his publications