By Gabriel Diaz-Patri Giovanni Palestrina’s sacred works comprise 105 Masses in various styles, 68 offertories (where he abandoned the traditional cantus firmus technique – using an existing melody as the basis for a polyphonic composition -- in favour of free composition), 250 motets, and 35 magnificats and 45 hymns written for the Divine Office. Understanding this [...]
By Marco della Sciucca Sometimes it seems like chasing ghosts when reconstructing the life story of a sixteenth-century character, even when that character has the proportions of a giant. Such is the case of Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina. His exact date of birth is uncertain — there were still no parish baptismal registers — but from [...]
By Aurelio Porfiri Anyone involved in the field of Catholic sacred music knows well that Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525–1594) is considered the "master of masters," a fundamental reference point for liturgical singing. This year, we celebrate the 500th anniversary of his birth. Countless composers have drawn inspiration from him, and even today, he holds a [...]
Within the Church’s tradition is the perennial beauty of his sacred music By ITV staff Catholic composer Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525-1594). Nowhere on earth is the word “tradition” more venerated than in the bosom of the Catholic Church. Signifying all that has been “handed down” to us from the Apostles and their successors [...]
