Porsile's career in musical service was spent in close relation to the Hapsburg court. He was a student of Giordano, Ursino and Greco receiving his first appointment as the assistant master of the chapel for the Spaniards in Naples. Charles II summoned him to Barcelona to organize the music and after his death, Porsile continued service for Charles III who eventually became the Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI. When Charles and his wife both returned to Vienna Porsile also followed finally receiving a permanent position in 1720. Influenced by Fux, Caldara, and admired by Zeno and Hasse, Porsile's music was composed in the traditions of northern Italy and the late Baroque Neapolitan composers. Between the years 1717 and 1737, Porsile's most productive years, he composed approximately twenty operas and thirteen oratorios. Characteristics of his works included expressive arias with little embellishment, rather structured harmonic resolves and noted passages of counterpoint. The oratorios include excellent choral writing for a time when choral writing was on the decline. On occasion he would also employ the use of instrumental coloration with trombones scored for solos, flutes set similar to concerto formulae and regular cello obligatos. ~ Keith Johnson, Rovi