Girolamo Mei

He was born in Florence, and died in Rome and also used the pseudonym Decimo Corinella da Peretola.

[1] Mei was the first European after Boethius to do a detailed study of ancient Greek music theory.

He compiled his findings in a major treatise, De modis musicis antiquorum (not formally published, but written 1568 to 1573).

Many of his findings he communicated to Vincenzo Galilei through an extensive correspondence; this information was decisive in the formation of the new musical style which was developing in Florence at the end of the 16th century, the new recitative style (stile recitativo) from which developed monody, the first music dramas, and eventually opera.

Mei also edited and annotated the tragedies of Aeschylus and Euripides, as well as many other works by classical writers.