17th century. In the 1560s, two distinct groups developed within the Venetian school: a progressive group led by Baldassare Donato, and a conservative group led by Zarlino, who was then maestro di cappella. Friction between the two groups came to a head in 1569 with a dramatic, public conflict between Donato and Zarlino during the Feast of Saint Mark. Members of the conservative branch tended to follow the style of Franco-Flemish polyphony, and included Cipriano de Rore, Zarlino, and Claudio Merulo; members of the progressive group included Donato, Giovanni Croce, and later Andrea and Giovanni Gabrieli. An additional point of contention between the two groups was whether or not Venetians—or at least Italians—should be given the top job of maestro di cappella at St. Mark's. Eventually the group favoring local talent prevailed, ending the dominance of foreign musicians in Venice; in 1603, Giovanni Croce was appointed to the job, followed by Giulio Cesare Martinengo in 1609. The peak of development of the Venetian School was in the 1580s, when Andrea and Giovanni Gabrieli composed enormous works for multiple choirs, groups of brass and string instruments, and organ. These works are the first to include dynamics, and are among the first to include specific instructions for ensemble instrumentation. Organists working at the same time included Claudio Merulo and Girolamo Diruta; they began to define an instrumental style and technique which moved to northern Europe in the succeeding generations, culminating in the works of Sweelinck, Buxtehude, and eventually J.S. Bach. The term Venetian School is sometimes used to distinguish it from the contemporary, and usually more musically conservative, Roman School. Other important centers of musical activity in Italy at the same time included Florence (the birthplace of opera), Ferrara, Naples, Padua, Mantua, and Milan. Composers Major members of the Venetian school include: Adrian Willaert (c.1490–1562) Jacques Buus (c.1500–1565) Andrea Gabrieli (c.1532–1585) Nicola Vicentino (1511–c.1576) Cipriano de Rore (c.1515–1565) Gioseffo Zarlino (1517–1590) Baldassare Donato (1525–1603) Annibale Padovano (1527–1575) Costanzo Porta (c.1529–1601) Claudio Merulo (1533–1604) Gioseffo Guami (c.1540–1611) Vincenzo Bellavere (d.1587) Girolamo Diruta (c.1554–after 1610) Girolamo Dalla Casa (d.1601) Giovanni Gabrieli (c.1555–1612) Giovanni Croce (c.1557–1609) Giovanni Bassano (c.1558–1617) Giulio Cesare Martinengo (c.1561–1613) See also Neapolitan School References and further reading Various articles, including "Venice," in The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, ed. Stanley Sadie. 20 vol. London, Macmillan Publishers Ltd., 1980. Gustave Reese, Music in the Renaissance. New York, W.W. Norton &