INGEGNERI, MARC'ANTONIO. — Musician, born in Verona, probably around 1545–47, died in Cremona on 1 July 1592. Biographical information is extremely scarce. He undertook his first musical studies at the school of the Verona cathedral under the direction of Vincenzo Ruffo, then maestro di cappella; almost certainly he took part in the musical activities conducted by the Accademia filarmonica. In 1572 he held the position of prefect of music at the cathedral of Cremona, where he had probably moved as early as 1568; in December 1581 he was appointed maestro di cappella, and remained in this office until his death. He was also renowned as a violinist and, besides his work as a composer, is remembered as the teacher of the great Monteverdi. His musical output is considerable: in the sacred genre, one book of Masses for 5–8 voices and another for 5 voices, four books of Sacrae cantiones for 4, 5, 6, and 7–16 voices, two books of hymns for 4 voices, and the Responsoria Hebdomadae Sanctae; in the secular genre, 8 books of madrigals for 4, 5, and 6 voices.
I. is stylistically akin to the group of northern Italian polyphonists (Ruffo, Asola, etc.), distinguished by greater concision in their treatment of the text of the Mass in comparison with the masters of the Roman school, who were closer to the complex Flemish conception. The most celebrated and artistically noteworthy sacred work is perhaps the aforementioned book of responsories for Holy Week, which for a long time was attributed to Palestrina, but which the stylistic examination undertaken by modern criticism has restored to its true author. The secular madrigals are also highly noteworthy; through a particular clarity of structure, they display great care in the expressive relationship between word and sound.