Camillo Cortellini was an Italian composer, singer, and violinist.

Cortellini was born in Bologna on January 24, 1561, son of the composer Gaspare "the viola" Cortellini, and following his father's profession Camillo was nicknamed "violino." His musical education was received first from his father who was employed at the Concerto Palatino della Signoria di Bologna, and then from Alfonso Ganassi.

On February 26, 1577, Camillo succeeded his father in the Concerto della Signoria. His first publications were secular music, 3 books of madrigals between 1583 and 1586. In 1593 he was elected cantor at the prestigious chapel of San Petronio Basilica

San Petronio Basilica

The Basilica of San Petronio is the main church of Bologna, Emilia Romagna, northern Italy. It dominates the Piazza Maggiore. It is the fifth largest church in the world, stretching for 132 meters in length and 60 meters in width, while the vault reaches 45 meters inside and 51 meters in the facade...

, where he worked until his death in 1630, with a break between 1608 and 1610. Cortellini was the first composer in Bologna to publish concerted Masses with his Second Book of Masses in 1617.

Works

• Primo Libro de’ Madrigali a 5 e 6 voci. Ferrara, Baldini, 1583 (preserved incomplete)
• Secondo Libro de’ Madrigali a 5 voci. Bologna, Rossi, 1584 (preserved incomplete)
• Terzo Libro de’ Madrigali a 5 voci. Ferrara, Baldini, 1586
• Salmi a 6 voi. Venice, Vincenti, 1595
• Salmi a 8 voci e organo per i Vespri di tutto l’anno. Venice, Vincenti, 1606
• 8 Magnificat a 6 voci. Venice, Vincenti, 1607
• Messe a 4, 5, 6 e 8 voci e organo sui toni ecclesiastici. Venice, Vincenti, 1609
• Laetanie della Beata Vergine a 5, 6, 7 e 8 voci. Venezia, Vincenti, 1615
• Messe concertate a 8 voci. Venice, Vincenti, 1617
• Messe concertate a 8 voci. Venice, Vincenti, 1626
• Azioni rappresentate in musica per la Festa della Porchetta di Bologna. 1627 (only libretto survives)