Photo: Pompeo Batoni (1708-1787) · CC0 · credits
Tier 2 · legacy legendfull biography
Leonardo Leo
Person · male · San Vito dei Normanni · born 1694 · died 1744 · recording since 1999
Italian composer
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Also known as Leonardo Leo · Lionardo Leo · Lionardo Oronzo Salvatore de Leo · 莱奥纳多·莱奥
Timeline
10 events▣ Album 7◦ Birth 1† Death 1★ Debut release 1
1690s
1740s
1990s
· Debut release
Debut release: Sechs Cellokonzerte
First documented Album in the MusicBrainz discography.
source: musicbrainz
2000s
2010s
Biography
English biography641 words · 4 sectionssource: wikipedia-en · licence CC BY-SA 4.0 · revision 1377339143
Biography
Leonardo Leo (5 August 1694 – 31 October 1744), more correctly Leonardo Ortensio Salvatore de Leo, was a Baroque composer.
Biography
Leo was born in San Vito degli Schiavoni (currently known as San Vito dei Normanni) in the Apulia region, then part of the Kingdom of Naples.
He became a student at the Conservatorio della Pietà dei Turchini at Naples in 1703, and was a pupil first of Francesco Provenzale and later of Nicola Fago. It has been supposed that he was a pupil of Pitoni and Alessandro Scarlatti, but he could not possibly have studied with either of these composers, although he was undoubtedly influenced by their compositions. His earliest known work was a sacred drama, L'infedeltà abbattuta, performed by his fellow-students in 1712.
In 1714, he produced, at the court theatre, an opera, Pisistrato, which was much admired.
He held various posts at the royal chapel, and continued to write for the stage, besides teaching at the conservatory. After adding comic scenes to Francesco Gasparini's Bajazette in 1722 for performance at Naples, he composed comic operas in Neapolitan such as La'mpeca scoperta in 1723, and L'Alidoro in 1740.
His most famous comic opera was Amor vuol sofferenza (1739), better known as La Finta Frascatana, highly praised by De Brosses. He was equally distinguished as a composer of serious opera, Demofoonte (1735), Farnace (1737) and L'Olimpiade (1737) being his most famous works in this branch, and is still better known as a composer of sacred music.
He died of a stroke while engaged in the composition of new arias for a revival of La Finta Frascatana. Leo was the first of the Neapolitan school to obtain a complete mastery over modern harmonic counterpoint.
Drammi per musica
Il Pisistrato (Naples, 13 May 1714)
Eumene (Reggio Emilia, May Fair 1714, collaboration with composer Francesco Gasparini)
Sofonisba (Naples, Royal Palace of Naples, 22 January 1718)
Cajo Gracco (Naples, Royal Palace of Naples, 19 April 1720)
Arianna e Teseo (Naples, 26 November 1721)
Bajazette (Naples, Royal Palace of Naples, 28 August 1722)
Tamerlano (Rome, 1722)
Timocrate (Venice, Teatro San Angelo, Carnival 1723)
Zenobia in Palmira (Naples, Teatro San Bartolomeo, 1725)
Astianatte (1725)
La somiglianza (Naples, Teatro dei Fiorentini, 1726)
L'Orismene, overo dagli sdegni gli amori (Naples, Teatro Nuovo, 1726)
Ciro riconosciuto (1727)
Argene (1728)
La zingara (intermezzo, 1731)
Intermezzi per l'Argene (1731)
Catone (Venice, 1732)
Demetrio (Maples, Teatro San Bartolomeo, 1732)
Amore dà senno (Naples, Teatro Nuovo, 1733)
Emira (with intermezzi by Ignazio Prota, 1735)
La clemenza di Tito (1735)
Onore vince amore (Naples, Teatro dei Fiorentini, 1736)
La simpatia del sangue (1737)
Siface (1737)
L'Olimpiade (1737)
Amor vuol sofferenza 1739
Festa teatrale (1739)
La contesa dell'Amore e della virtù (1740)
Scipione nelle Spagne (1740)
L'Alidoro (1740)
Achille in Sciro (1740)
Alessandro (1741)
Demoofonte (1741)
L'impresario delle Isole Canarie (1741)
Andromaca (1742)
L'ambizione delusa (Leo) 1742 (opera seria)
Decebalo (Leo) 1743
Vologeso (1744)
La finta Frascatana (1744)
Undated operas:
Artaserse
Lucio Papirio
Evergete
Il matrimonio anascoso
Alessandro nell'Indie
Il Medo
Nitocri, regina di egitto
Il Pisistrate
Il trionfo di Camillo
Le nozze di Psiche
Selected recordings
2002 Concerto for 4 Violins and Strings in D -Conductor: Reinhard Goebel, Orchestra: Cologne Musica Antiqua
Label: Archiv Masters (Disc Title: Italian Violin Concertos)
2001 Concerto 4 violins and Strings in D - Performers: Elizabeth Wallfisch, Nicholas Kraemer
Orchestra: The Raglan Baroque Players
Label: Hyperion (Disc Title: The Neapolitans - Pergolesi, Durante, Leo)
2001: 6 Cello Concertos-Performer: Hidemi Suzuki, Makoto Akatsu Orchestra: Orchestra Van Wassenaer
Label: BIS (Disc Title: Leo-Six Cello Concertos)
2000: Così del vostro suono (Il Tionfo della Gloria), cantata Sorge Lidia la notte, cantata with violins,
più dell'usato, cantata for solo voice & strings- Conductor: Cosimo Prontera Performer: Cristina Miatello, Emanuele Bianchi
Orchestra: La Confraternita de' Musici
Label: Tactus (Disc Title: Leonardo Leo: Serenate e Cantate)
For a more complete discography of Leo, see http://www.leonardoleo.com/discography.htm Archived 2017-05-02 at the Wayback Machine
Discography & profile
Normalised profile
Percentiles are computed over every artist in the database, so a tier-3 artist can still sit in the 95th percentile on a single axis.
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 30 | 90.4th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 7 | 80.4th |
| Studio albums | 7 | 87.5th |
| Awards recorded | 0 | 0th |
| Timeline events | 10 | 86.7th |
| Recording span (years) | -255 | 2.3th |
| Genres | 2 | 74th |
Percentiles are computed at render time; missing values mean the artist has no data on that axis.
Discography (7 release groups · 7 studio albums)
Albums · 7
1999 · studio album
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Tracklist · 25 tracks · 1:21:25
Disc 11Konzert in D-Dur, L10: Andantino grazioso3:192Konzert in D-Dur, L10: Con bravura2:303Konzert in D-Dur, L10: Larghetto con poco moto a mezza voce4:374Konzert in D-Dur, L10: Fuga2:195Konzert in D-Dur, L10: Allegro di molto1:366Konzert in A-Dur, L20: Andantino grazioso2:517Konzert in A-Dur, L20: Allegro2:308Konzert in A-Dur, L20: Larghetto3:339Konzert in A-Dur, L20: Allegro2:3910Sinfonie concertante in c-Moll, L30: Andante grazioso3:2611Sinfonie concertante in c-Moll, L30: Fugato1:5212Sinfonie concertante in c-Moll, L30: Larghetto4:4013Sinfonie concertante in c-Moll, L30: Allegro1:30Disc 21Konzert in f-Moll, L40: Andante grazioso4:032Konzert in f-Moll, L40: Allegro3:043Konzert in f-Moll, L40: Largo e grazioso3:574Konzert in f-Moll, L40: Allegro2:175Konzert in A-Dur, L50: Andante piacevole3:196Konzert in A-Dur, L50: Allegro4:057Konzert in A-Dur, L50: Larghetto e grazioso4:478Konzert in A-Dur, L50: Allegro4:539Konzert in d-Moll, L60: Andante grazioso4:0110Konzert in d-Moll, L60: Con Spirito3:3311Konzert in d-Moll, L60: Amoroso3:4812Konzert in d-Moll, L60: Allegro2:162000 · studio album
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Tracklist · 25 tracks · 1:20:30
1Concerto no. 4 in A major: I. Andante piacevole2:302Concerto no. 4 in A major: II. Allegro3:443Concerto no. 4 in A major: III. Larghetto e gustoso4:174Concerto no. 4 in A major: IV. Allegro6:035Concerto no. 5 in F minor: I. Andante grazioso4:196Concerto no. 5 in F minor: II. Allegro2:587Concerto no. 5 in F minor: III. Segue il cantabile - Largo e gustoso4:238Concerto no. 5 in F minor: IV. Allegro3:039Concerto no. 1 in A major: I. Andantino grazioso2:4710Concerto no. 1 in A major: II. Allegro2:3311Concerto no. 1 in A major: III. Larghetto a mezza voce2:5212Concerto no. 1 in A major: IV. Allegro2:1913Concerto no. 3 in D minor: I. Andante grazioso3:4614Concerto no. 3 in D minor: II. [Con spirito]3:1415Concerto no. 3 in D minor: III. Amoroso - mezza voce3:1116Concerto no. 3 in D minor: IV. Allegro3:1817Concerto no. 2 in D major: I. Andante grazioso3:4118Concerto no. 2 in D major: II. Con Bravura2:3519Concerto no. 2 in D major: III. Larghetto, con poco moto - mezza voce2:4920Concerto no. 2 in D major: IV. Fuga. Per il portamento dell´imitazione del 2 pensiere, o soggetto mi con fervito della risposta d´imitazione2:2421Concerto no. 2 in D major: V. [Allegro di molto]1:5622Sinfonia concertata (Concerto no. 6) in C minor: I. Andante grazioso3:0523Sinfonia concertata (Concerto no. 6) in C minor: II. Presto1:5924Sinfonia concertata (Concerto no. 6) in C minor: III. Larghetto4:0525Sinfonia concertata (Concerto no. 6) in C minor: IV. Allegro2:39Miserere mei Deus – Sacred Vocal Music
2001 · studio album
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Tracklist · 15 tracks · 1:14:11
1Miserere mei Deus, concertato a due chori19:452Verse (I) and Canzona in G Minor5:063Judica me Deus (Introit)3:364Eripe me, Domine (Gradual)2:585Hoc corpus, quod pro vobis tradetur (Communion)4:086Praebe Virgo: Aria: Praebe Virgo; Recitativo: In tot undique malis10:167Praebe Virgo: Aria: Te mihi dante vires; Recitativo: Salve, o regina mundi6:108All' Offertorio1:589Reminiscere miserationum tuarum (Introit)2:4510Tribulationis cordis mei (Gradual)2:1711Intellege clamorem meum (Communion)3:0712Verse (I) and Canzona in E Minor3:3613Kyrie (from Mass in C)3:4114Christus factus est pro nobis1:5615Heu nos miseros2:52Sacred Music: Miserere - Music From The Royal Chapel, Naples
2002 · studio album
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Tracklist · 17 tracks · 1:09:13
1Mass On Ash Wednesday: Misereris Omnium, Domine (Introit)2:012Mass On Ash Wednesday: Miserere Mei Deus (Gradual)1:523Mass On Ash Wednesday: Adiuva Nos, Deus Salutaris Noster (Tract versicle)1:484Mass On The Second Sunday In Lent: Reminiscere Miseratonum Tuarum, Domine (Introit)1:375Mass On The Second Sunday In Lent: Tribulationes Cordis Mei (Gradual)2:016Mass On The Second Sunday In Lent: Intellige Clamorem Meum (Communion)3:007Salve Regina: Salve Regina, Mater Misericordiae4:018Salve Regina: Ad Te Clamamus3:009Salve Regina: Ad Te Suspiramus3:4710Salve Regina: Eia Ergo, Advocata Nostra3:5611Salve Regina: O Clemens, O Pia3:4812Mass On Passion Day: Judica Me Deus3:1113Mass On Passion Day: Eripe Me, Domine1:2414Mass On Passion Day: Hoc Corpus, Quod Pro Vobistredetur5:0015Good Friday Tenebrae: Lesson I: De Lamentatione Jeremiae Prophetae Heth. Miscordiae Domini11:2616Good Friday Tenebrae: Lesson II: Aleph. Quomodo Obscuratum Est Aurum8:2617Good Friday Tenebrae: Lesson III: Incipit Oratio Jeremiae Prophetae. Recordare Domine, Quid Accederit Nobis8:552006 · studio album
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Tracklist · 25 tracks · 1:25:17
Disc 11Concerto no. 1 in A: I. Andantino grazioso3:402Concerto no. 1 in A: II. Allegro2:463Concerto no. 1 in A: III. Larghetto a mezza voce3:384Concerto no. 1 in A: IV. Allegro4:085Concerto no. 2 in D: I. Andantino grazioso3:576Concerto no. 2 in D: II. Con bravura2:417Concerto no. 2 in D: III. Larghetto un poco mosso4:418Concerto no. 2 in D: IV. Fuga2:059Concerto no. 2 in D: V. Allegro di molto2:1010Concerto no. 5 in F minor: I. Andante grazioso4:0011Concerto no. 5 in F minor: II. Allegro3:0212Concerto no. 5 in F minor: III. Largo e gustoso4:2913Concerto no. 5 in F minor: IV. Allegro2:16Disc 21Concerto no. 3 in D minor: I. Andante grazioso3:422Concerto no. 3 in D minor: II. Con Spirito3:123Concerto no. 3 in D minor: III. Amoroso4:204Concerto no. 3 in D minor: IV. Allegro2:545Sinfonia Concertata in C minor: I. Andante grazioso2:546Sinfonia Concertata in C minor: II. Molto presto1:417Sinfonia Concertata in C minor: III. Larghetto4:318Sinfonia Concertata in C minor: IV. Allegro1:339Concerto no. 4 in A: I. Andante piacevole3:4210Concerto no. 4 in A: II. Allegro4:3511Concerto no. 4 in A: III. Largo e gustoso4:5812Concerto no. 4 in A: IV. Allegro3:422006 · studio album
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Tracklist · 25 tracks · 1:19:45
1Concerto di violoncello no. 2 in D major: I. Andante grazioso3:272Concerto di violoncello no. 2 in D major: II. Con bravura2:283Concerto di violoncello no. 2 in D major: III. Larghetto, con poco moto - Mezza voce3:304Concerto di violoncello no. 2 in D major: IV. Fuga. Per il portamento dell'imitazione del 2 pensiere, o soggetto mi con fervito della risposta d'imitazione2:035Concerto di violoncello no. 2 in D major: V. [Allegro di molto]2:486Concerto di violoncello no. 5 in F minor: I. Andante grazioso3:567Concerto di violoncello no. 5 in F minor: II. Allegro2:588Concerto di violoncello no. 5 in F minor: III. Segue il cantabile - Largo e giustoso3:329Concerto di violoncello no. 5 in F minor: IV. Allegro3:0410Concerto di violoncello no. 4 in A major: I. Andante piacevole2:1411Concerto di violoncello no. 4 in A major: II. Allegro5:3012Concerto di violoncello no. 4 in A major: III. Larghetto e gustoso4:1413Concerto di violoncello no. 4 in A major: IV. Allegro3:3414Concerto di violoncello no. 3 in D minor: I. Andante grazioso3:2215Concerto di violoncello no. 3 in D minor: II. [Con spirito]3:0216Concerto di violoncello no. 3 in D minor: III. Amoroso - Mezza voce3:2817Concerto di violoncello no. 3 in D minor: IV. Allegro3:3618Concerto di violoncello no. 1 in A major: I. Andantino grazioso3:2219Concerto di violoncello no. 1 in A major: II. Allegro3:2320Concerto di violoncello no. 1 in A major: III. Larghetto a mezza voce3:1121Concerto di violoncello no. 1 in A major: IV. Allegro2:3622Sinfonia concertata (Concerto no. 6) in C minor: I. Andante grazioso2:3423Sinfonia concertata (Concerto no. 6) in C minor: II. Molto presto1:3824Sinfonia concertata (Concerto no. 6) in C minor: III. Larghetto3:4825Sinfonia concertata (Concerto no. 6) in C minor: IV. Allegro2:272012 · studio album
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Tracklist · 21 tracks · 1:11:15
1Concerto for Cello, Strings & Continuo in B-flat major, RV 423: I. Allegro4:022Concerto for Cello, Strings & Continuo in B-flat major, RV 423: II. Largo3:023Concerto for Cello, Strings & Continuo in B-flat major, RV 423: III. Allegro3:474Concerto for Cello, Strings & Continuo in G minor, RV 416: I. Allegro4:005Concerto for Cello, Strings & Continuo in G minor, RV 416: II. Adagio3:566Concerto for Cello, Strings & Continuo in G minor, RV 416: III. Allegro2:527Concerto for Cello, Strings & Continuo in A minor, RV 420: I. Andante4:148Concerto for Cello, Strings & Continuo in A minor, RV 420: II. Adagio3:399Concerto for Cello, Strings & Continuo in A minor, RV 420: III. Allegro3:4310Sonata for Cello & Continuo no. 9 in G minor, RV 42: I. Preludio. Largo3:5511Sonata for Cello & Continuo no. 9 in G minor, RV 42: II. Allemanda. Andante2:3312Sonata for Cello & Continuo no. 9 in G minor, RV 42: III. Sarabanda. Largo3:5313Sonata for Cello & Continuo no. 9 in G minor, RV 42: IV. Giga. Allegro2:1214Concerto for Cello & Orchestra in D major, L. 10: I. Andantino grazioso3:5915Concerto for Cello & Orchestra in D major, L. 10: II. Con bravura2:5816Concerto for Cello & Orchestra in D major, L. 10: III. Larghetto, con poco moto3:5417Concerto for Cello & Orchestra in D major, L. 10: IV. Allegro di molto1:1918Concerto for Cello & Orchestra in D major, L. 10: V. Fuga2:3019Concerto for Cello, 2 Violins, Viola & Continuo in D minor, WD 657: I. Non tanto allegro3:4120Concerto for Cello, 2 Violins, Viola & Continuo in D minor, WD 657: II. Adagio3:0521Concerto for Cello, 2 Violins, Viola & Continuo in D minor, WD 657: III. Alla breve. Fuga4:01
Stats & PK
Percentile within all 23,672 published artists.Put Leonardo Leo head-to-head →
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 30 | 90.4th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 7 | 80.4th |
| Studio albums | 7 | 87.5th |
| Awards recorded | 0 | 0th |
| Timeline events | 10 | 86.7th |
| Recording span (years) | -255 | 2.3th |
| Genres | 2 | 74th |
Awards & honours
Where this record comes from
portrait—Wikimedia Commons · CC0 · retrieved 11 October 2026
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Leonardo_Leo.pngaliases/urls—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/5afca891-8965-4cf6-a9c2-f0cc7d3c64a3discography—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/5afca891-8965-4cf6-a9c2-f0cc7d3c64a3core—wikidata · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q316735genre—wikidata · CC0 · retrieved 11 October 2026
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q316735seed-list—wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonardo_Leobiography—wikipedia-en · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonardo_Leo
Why this artist is in the database
- List of composers by name
Tier rule: historic figure (30 language versions, career ended)
Image: Pompeo Batoni (1708-1787) · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Wikidata: Q316735 · MusicBrainz: 5afca891-8965-4cf6-a9c2-f0cc7d3c64a3
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