**LANDINO, FRANCESCO** – Musician, also known as Franciscus de Florentia, Magister Franciscus, or the blind organist. Born in Florence in 1325 and died there on 2 September 1397, buried in S. Lorenzo. Despite losing his sight at a very young age, he became the most skilled and renowned organist of his time.
He served as organist at S. Lorenzo, was an expert performer on various instruments (including one of his own invention, a keyboard instrument to which he gave the name *sirena delle sirene*), and composed vocal music marked by fresh and graceful inspiration, with free melodic and harmonic treatment. In 1364 he was summoned to Venice for the festivities in honor of the King of Cyprus, who crowned him with gold. He is regarded as one of the leading exponents of the *ars nova* in Florence.
He composed numerous madrigals, ballate, and songs for up to three voices, most of which survive in manuscript form. Some of his works appear in modern notation in collections by Romagnoli, Riemann, and others.
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