From 1609 to 1612 Heinrich Schütz lived in Venice, where he studied music under Giovanni Gabrieli at St Mark's Basilica. Schütz regarded Gabrieli as his only true teacher, and Gabrieli, who served as the principal organist and composer at San Marco, provided him with training in the Venetian polychoral and concertato styles. During this period Schütz published his first book of five-voice madrigals in 1611, reflecting the influence of his Venetian studies.
Schütz's close relationship with Gabrieli is further evidenced by the fact that Gabrieli bequeathed him a ring on his deathbed in 1612. The years spent under Gabrieli’s guidance significantly shaped Schütz’s musical language, which later brought the Italian style to Germany and influenced the development of early Baroque music there.
