FRESCOEALDI, GIROLAMO (1583-1644), Italian or ganist and composer, was born in Ferrara. He studied under the cathedral organist Luzzasco Luzzaschi, and owed his first reputa tion to his beautiful voice. He was organist at St. Peter's in Rome from 16o8 to 1628. According to Baini no fewer than 30,00o people flocked to St. Peter's on his first appearance there. In 1628 he went to live in Florence, becoming organist to Duke Ferdinand II. Political troubles drove him back to Rome in and he was again organist at St. Peter's until March 1643. He died on March 2, 1644, being buried at Rome in the Church of the Twelve Apostles. Frescobaldi was perhaps the greatest organist of the I7th century, and his method was handed down by his pupil Froberger. His compositions show the consummate art of the early Italian school, and his works for the organ more especially are full of the finest devices of fugal treatment. He also wrote numerous vocal compositions, such as canzone, motets, hymns, etc., a collection of madrigals for five voices (Antwerp, 1608) being among the earliest of his published works.