Background
Palestrina was born on the 3rd of February, 1525 in a small town in Palestrina near where many generations of his ancestors stayed. He was later moved to Rome while he was still very young.
(Missa Papae Marcelli, or Pope Marcellus Mass, is a mass b...)
Missa Papae Marcelli, or Pope Marcellus Mass, is a mass by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina. It is his best-known mass, and is frequently taught in university courses on music.
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1562
("O Magnum Mysterium" is a six-part motet by Giovanni Pier...)
"O Magnum Mysterium" is a six-part motet by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, based on the responsorial chant of the same name, and was written for the celebration of Christmas. The piece is intended to express the joy and awe that was felt by the shepherds as they celebrated and worshiped the Christ-child in the manger on Christmas eve.
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1569
(Missa Tu es Petrus (Mass: You Are Peter) is a six-part pa...)
Missa Tu es Petrus (Mass: You Are Peter) is a six-part parody mass that originates from a book of motets published by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina in 1572 in Rome. The title speaks of the meaning behind the work, “for the feast of St. Paul and St. Peter,” and is based on a motet of this name.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missa_Tu_es_Petrus_(Palestrina)
1572
(Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina was an Italian composer ...)
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina was an Italian composer who belonged to the Renaissance period. Majority of his compositions were done for the sacred music genre.
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1581
(The origin of this tune lies in a choral mass by the grea...)
The origin of this tune lies in a choral mass by the great Italian Renaissance composer Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina. One of the most gifted composers of his age, Palestrina influenced church music for many centuries.
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1591
Palestrina was born on the 3rd of February, 1525 in a small town in Palestrina near where many generations of his ancestors stayed. He was later moved to Rome while he was still very young.
There is no information about Palestrina getting any formal school education. Though, it is stated that he learned music while he was at Basilica of Sta. Maria Maggiore between the years 1537 for the next 2 years.
In the year 1537, Palestrina part of the group of choirboys at the basilica of Sta. Maria Maggiore. By the year 1544, at the age of 19, Palestrina was placed in his own native in a cathedral where he got involved in teaching, singing and playing music. His work was very much admired there and it caught the attention of the bishop who later became Pope Julius III.
Three years later in the year 1547, Palestrina got married to Lucrezia Gori. They had three sons together named Rodolfo, Angelo, and Iginio. On his return to Rome in the year 1551, Palestrina was appointed as a music director in St. Peter’s. He published the book of masses in the year 1554 which he mentioned was dedicated to Pope Julius III. In the year 1555, he was moved to being a singer in Pontifical Choir. Palestrina returned the favors of Julius III by presenting a mass in his respect. The same year, he published his book of madrigals.
In some months, the Pope Julius III was replaced by the strict Paul IV who banned married men from performing in the papal choir. Palestrina was dismissed with two of his companions and they received a small amount of money for their discharge.
With the limited resource of money, Palestrina started directing music at St. John Lateran but with singers with limited talent, the work never came into focus. It is stated that Palestrina got his son Rodolfo as a chorister but they soon separated after some time.
After a year, he found a job at Sta. Maria Maggiore where Palestrina stayed for next seven years after which he got the work of music at a summer resort in Rome named Villa d’Este in Tivoli. He stayed there for four years while also working as a music teacher at the Roman Seminary.
In the year 1568, Palestrina was invited to the court of Emperor Maximilian II of Vienna to become music director but he refused the post due to low salary and hesitation to depart Rome. Palestrina also gained some commission from writing songs for the ducal chapel of Sta. Barbara after the year 1583.
It was in the year 1571 when the music director at St. Peter’s Giovanni Animuccia died. Palestrina was invited back to the post with increased salary. His started to become popular and St. Peter’s was once again made to increase his salary when Sta. Maria Maggiore expressed their interest to hire Palestrina again. His fame soon got him the title of master of music at the Vatican Basilica in the year 1578.
Palestrina’s sons were as promising as their father in the talent of music but an epidemic that covered Italy in the 1570s took away both of his older sons as well as his wife. This unfortunate loss came very heavy on Palestrina and he fell ill and mentioned his interest in becoming a priest. But soon after he was made a canon, in the year 1581, he took back his vows to marry Virginia Dormoli who was a widow of a rich merchant. Palestrina now had wealth that came with his new wife though he continued his work at St. Peter’s.
Palestrina was admired by all the Popes under whom he worked and was also made to march in the front at the time of putting up the great Egyptian obelisk in the piazza of St. Peter’s.
Palestrina caught extra attention when his musical editorial work with Annibale Zoilo to replace the plainchant was appreciated. Part of it was published in the later part of Palestrina’s life while he also helped to establish the Vertuosa Compagnia dei Musici, an organization of professional musicians.
After the arrival of the new Pope Clement VIII, the pension of Palestrina was increased and his student wrote 16 compositions of the Vesper Psalms in his honor.
Palestrina music was admired for its quality and high standards. His work on the 105 masses covers versatile styles and a good number of voices. His skills that he showcased in his canonic masses remain prominent among his works.
Palestrina’s motets that number to more than 250 have different varieties of forms that can be used to perform a mass. Some of them are plainsongs while others reflect liturgical texts. He became famous for his sacred songs even though his madrigals highly became popular for its making and the forms. He became the inspiration to several Roman composers and his music is always considered to the foundation of music presentations. He used both of his spiritual faith and his technical skills in music which will be admired for a very long time.
Palestrina died in the year 1594 suffering from acute pleurisy. He was buried in Rome the same day.
His work in music covers 104 masses, 375 motets, 65 hymns, and 68 offertories, 4 settings of Lamentations of Jeremiah and 35 setting of Magnificat. Other than this, his secular work includes around 140 madrigals.
Palestrina music was admired for its quality and high standards. His work on the 105 masses covers versatile styles and a good number of voices. His skills that he showcased in his canonic masses remain prominent among his works.
Palestrina’s motets that number to more than 250 have different varieties of forms that can be used to perform a mass. Some of them are plainsongs while others reflect liturgical texts. He became famous for his sacred songs even though his madrigals highly became popular for its making and the forms. He became the inspiration to several Roman composers and his music is always considered to the foundation of music presentations. He used both of his spiritual faith and his technical skills in music which will be admired for a very long time.
His work in music covers 104 masses, 375 motets, 65 hymns, and 68 offertories, 4 settings of Lamentations of Jeremiah and 35 setting of Magnificat. Other than this, his secular work includes around 140 madrigals.
("O Magnum Mysterium" is a six-part motet by Giovanni Pier...)
1569(Missa Tu es Petrus (Mass: You Are Peter) is a six-part pa...)
1572(The origin of this tune lies in a choral mass by the grea...)
1591(Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina was an Italian composer ...)
1581(Missa Papae Marcelli, or Pope Marcellus Mass, is a mass b...)
1562Palestrina is highly renowned for his music composition for Roman Catholic churches. His sacred music and specifically the composition of 105 masses signify his faith in religion. It is stated that Palestrina’s sacred bond with the holy texts made him create divine and blessed music.
Palestrina was a great Italian music composer of the Renaissance period. He worked with several popes as a music director but his inclination towards politics has never come out.
Palestrina dedicated his entire life creating beautiful and enticing music. More inclined to sacred music, he is found as a religious person. There was a time when after the death of his first wife, Palestrina expressed interest in becoming a priest but soon renounced his vows to marry his second wife. Palestrina had his talent in composing music and was aware of the techniques that get into creating a good music composition.
Quotations:
”Life well spent is long.”
”Half a brick whole brick got me buyin jacobs bourbon shoes walkin in da head and da gators.”
”I have offended God and mankind because my work didn’t reach the quality it should have.”
”A well-spent day brings happy sleep.”
“I’m boomin I’m bunkin I’m servin all the babies Rap game ezy but da dope game gravy.”
”Intellectual passion drives out sensuality”
”The eye sees a thing more clearly in dreams than the imagination awake”
”Young juice man god dammit I’m da shit.”
”Hit the trap, stay down watch the pape.r Wake up Boomin out da house and J askin for a Waiter.”
”Learning acquired in youth arrests the evil of old age; and if you understand that old age has wisdom for its food, you will so conduct yourself in youth that your old age will not lack for nourishment.”
There is very little known about the personal life of Palestrina. Beginning with a hard life, Palestrina had created a wealth with his hard work in music. As years passed on, his compositions kept on improving and he started becoming famous for his work. His work was highly admired and Palestrina was aware of his talent.
Quotes from others about the person
The music of Palestrina "paints a picture almost as timeless as it is without space, a spiritual revelation throughout that arouses unspeakable emotion, bringing us nearer than aught else to the essential nature of religion." (Richard Wagner)
In the year 1547, Palestrina got married to Lucrezia Gori. They had three sons together named Rodolfo, Angelo, and Iginio. Palestrina’s sons were as promising as their father in the talent of music but an epidemic that covered Italy in the 1570s took away both of his older sons as well as his wife. This unfortunate loss came very heavy on Palestrina and he fell ill and mentioned his interest in becoming a priest.
But soon after he was made a canon, in the year 1581, he took back his vows to marry Virginia Dormoli who was a widow of a rich merchant. Palestrina now had wealth that came with his new wife though he continued his work at St. Peter’s.
