FRANCESCO DURANTE. — Musician, b. at Frattamaggiore on 15 March 1684, d. at Naples on 13 Aug. 1755. A pupil of G. Ottavio Pitoni and perhaps of B. Pasquini, he was among the first great masters of the glorious Neapolitan school; he taught at the Conservatory of the Poor of Gesù Cristo (1728-1739) and, succeeding Porpora, at that of S. Maria di Loreto (1742-1755); in 1745 he took Leo’s place as first master at the Conservatory of S. Onofrio, where he taught for 10 years.
The most important collection of his manuscripts is in the library of the Paris Conservatory and contains 13 masses, fragments of other masses, 16 psalms, 16 motets, antiphons, hymns, madrigals, and piano sonatas; his *Lamentations* are in the library of Vienna, and other works of his are found in Berlin, Dresden, Munich, London, Brussels, Milan, Bologna, and Naples. Among his published works are a *Magnificat* for four voices, 12 chamber duets, some arias, and some sonatas.