Donemus Webwinkel — Bona, Valerio

Valerio Bona (also spelled as Buona) was born in Brescia, probably around the middle of the 16th century, as can be derived from the fact that in 1592 he published important works and held the important role of choirmaster at S. Francesco in Vercelli. Bona was a Franciscan monk himself, but we do not know when he entered the order. Sigismondo da Venezia states that Bona was a pupil of Costanzo Porta. Appreciated for his sweet voice he was the first singer in the basilica of S. Antonio in Padua, probably in 1590, and in the cathedral of s. Francesco in Vercelli. He almost certainly remained there until 1595, as in that year he still dedicated his Regole del Contraponto to the tenor German Aliardo, a chorister in Vercelli.
In 1596 he moved to Milan and subsequently he was working in the church of S. Monferato in 1599, the cathedral of Mondoví in 1601 and in the church of S. Francesco in Brescia in 1611. In 1614 he was prefect at S. Fermo Maggiore in Verona where in 1619 he still lived among the the monasterial friars of S. Francesco. Bona was a notable composer especially in the sacred genre, but he published theoretical work as well.

Cees Wagemakers, 2024.