Diego Ortiz (c. 1510 – c. 1570) was a Spanish composer and musicologist, in service to the Spanish viceroy of Naples and later to Philip II of Spain. Ortiz published influential[citation needed] treatises on both instrumental and vocal performance.
Very little is known about his life. He is believed to have been born in Toledo and died in Naples.
In 1553 Ortiz was living in the viceroyalty of Naples. Five years later, the third duke of Alba, Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, appointed him maestro di capella of the Chapel Royal of Naples. In 1565 Ortiz still held the post under the Viceroy Pedro Afán de Ribera, duke of Alcalá.
Ortiz published two music books: Trattado de Glosas in 1553 and Musices liber primus in 1565.
The Trattado de Glosas (modern Spanish spelling Tratado de Glosas) is considered a masterpiece of literature for the viola da gamba. The work was published on 10 December 1553, in Rome under the Spanish title Trattado de glossas sobre clausulas y otros generos de punctos en la musica de violones nuevamente puestos en luz. Its Italian title is Glose sopra le cadenze et altre sorte de punti in la musica del violone.
(Wikipedia)
