The greatest composer of liturgical music of all time, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina was an Italian born on February 3rd 1525. He took his name from his birthplace of Palestrina. As a youngling Palestrina sang in the streets of Rome while selling his parents farm products. While roaming the streets Palestrina was heard by the choirmaster of the Santa Maria Maggiore who then decided to educate him musically. Palestrina then got the job as an organist in his hometown principal church, St. Agapito in 1544, his duties included playing the organ, helping with the choir, and teaching music. But, when the Bishop became Pope Julius the III in 1550, he called on Palestrina to come to Rome and become the choirmaster of Cappella Giulia. Palestrina
…show more content…
Palestrina left over 100 masses, near 70 offertories, 100+ madrigals and more than 300 motets. In addition, there are at least 72 hymns, 35 magnificats, 11 litanies, and four or five sets of lamentations(According to www.classical-music.com ). Palestrina's compositions are harmonized like no other. Palestrina established strict guidelines to his music and followed them to the tee.These guidelines included: “the flow of music is dynamic, not rigid or static, melody should contain few leaps between notes. If a leap occurs, it must be small and immediately countered by opposite stepwise motion and dissonances are either passing note or off the beat. If it is on the beat, it is immediately resolved.”(According to www.last.fm). The fact that Palestrina gave himself restrictions and lived by them is one of many reasons why he's one of the greatest composers of the 16th century. This produced a more serene type of polyphony which we now consider to be definitive of late Renaissance music. Palestrina’s music was the epitome of the Counter-Reformation movement of the Roman Catholic Church. Although most European composers worked at one point in time for the Catholic Church, Palestrina's music, more than anyone else’s, captures the ideal characteristics of the Catholic
Palestrina left over 100 masses, near 70 offertories, 100+ madrigals and more than 300 motets. In addition, there are at least 72 hymns, 35 magnificats, 11 litanies, and four or five sets of lamentations(According to www.classical-music.com ). Palestrina's compositions are harmonized like no other. Palestrina established strict guidelines to his music and followed them to the tee.These guidelines included: “the flow of music is dynamic, not rigid or static, melody should contain few leaps between notes. If a leap occurs, it must be small and immediately countered by opposite stepwise motion and dissonances are either passing note or off the beat. If it is on the beat, it is immediately resolved.”(According to www.last.fm). The fact that Palestrina gave himself restrictions and lived by them is one of many reasons why he's one of the greatest composers of the 16th century. This produced a more serene type of polyphony which we now consider to be definitive of late Renaissance music. Palestrina’s music was the epitome of the Counter-Reformation movement of the Roman Catholic Church. Although most European composers worked at one point in time for the Catholic Church, Palestrina's music, more than anyone else’s, captures the ideal characteristics of the Catholic