The principal source for information on Gnocchi's life is an unpublished manuscript written by his associate C. Cristoni, now in the
Biblioteca Civica Queriniana in Brescia. Gnocchi was born in
Alfianello, in the
Province of Brescia, then under the control of the
Republic of Venice. The second of four sons of a middle-class family, he studied music and eventually became a priest. Following the death of his younger brother, he commenced a period of travel, initially studying music in
Venice and later going to
Hungary,
Vienna, and
Munich; after these travels he returned to Brescia where he spent most of the remainder of his long life, devoting it to scholarly and musical pursuits. In 1723, he was appointed
maestro di cappella at Brescia Cathedral; however, he was unsuccessful in his bid to become an organist there in 1733. He also worked at the Orfanelle della Pietà, an orphanage, where he may have served as a music instructor. In 1762 – when he was 73 years old – he reapplied for his old position as
maestro di cappella at Brescia Cathedral, as well as the position as organist; he then held both posts until his death at the age of 86. ==Music, writings, and influence==