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Palestrina is employed by popes and princes, with his fame spreading beyond Rome: Donald Macleod sees how he is now working on the reformation of music after the Council of Trent.

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (c.1525-1594) was one of the most influential composers in European classical music. With his countless masses, motets and madrigals, infused with a deep sense of spirituality and musical beauty, Palestrina was named the 'Saviour of Church Music' at a revolutionary time when Rome was rewriting the rules of music composition. But what do we know about this mysterious character, between historical fact and hagiographic myth? Donald Macleod follows the clues, to try and reconstruct the story of a fascinating composer, on the (approximately) 500th anniversary of his birth.

In this third episode, Palestrina is employed by popes and princes, with his fame spreading beyond Rome: Donald Macleod sees how he is now working on the reformation of music after the Council of Trent.

Motecta festorum totius anni cum Communi Sanctorum 鈥� liber primus
Misso Herodes
The Sixteen
Harry Christophers, conductor

Nicola Vicentino: Jerusalem convertere
Vox Hesperia
Romano Vettori, director

Crist贸bal de Morales: Gaude et laetare, Ferrariensis civitas
The Brabant Ensemble
Stephen Rice, director

Motecta festorum totius anni cum Communi Sanctorum 鈥� liber primus
Fuit homo missus a Deo
The Sixteen
Harry Christophers, conductor

Missa Papae Marcelli
IV. Sanctus
Oxford Camerata
Schola Cantorum of Oxford
Jeremy Summerly, conductor

Ricercar del secondo tuono
Jean Rondeau, harpsichord

Missa sine nomine a 6 (arr Johann Sebastian Bach)
II. Gloria
Concerto Palatino
Bruce Dickey, director

Johann Sebastian Bach: Mass in B minor, BWV 232
Osanna, Benedictus, Agnus Dei and Dona Nobis Pacem
Thomas Hobbs, tenor
Collegium Vocale Gent
Philippe Herreweghe, director

Robert Morton: Il sera pour vous conbatu - L'homme arm茅 (instrumental version)
Boston Camerata
Boston Shawm & Sackbut Ensemble
Joel Cohen, conductor

Missa L'homme arm茅 a 5 (Masses, Book 3)
I. Kyrie
II. Gloria
San Petronio Cappella Musicale Soloists
Sergio Vartolo, director

Adoramus te Christe (arr Leopold Stokowski for orchestra)
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
Jos茅 Serebrier, conductor

O admirabile commercium
Westminster Cathedral Choir
Martin Baker, conductor

Presenter by Donald Macleod
Produced by Julien Rosa
A 蜜芽传媒 Audio Wales & West production for 蜜芽传媒 Radio 3

59 minutes

Last on

Wed 18 Jun 2025 16:00
蜜芽传媒 Radio 3

More episodes

Previous

What a MassGiovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (c.1525-1594)

Next

Father of the ChapelGiovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (c.1525-1594)

See all episodes from Composer of the Week

Music Played

  • Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

    Misso Herodes

    Choir: The Sixteen. Conductor: Harry Christophers.
    • CORO : COR-16197.
    • CORO.
    • 11.

  • Nicola Vicentino

    Jerusalem convertere

    Ensemble: Vox Hesperia. Director: Romano Vettori.
    • BONGIOVANNI : BG 5572-2.
    • BONGIOVANNI.
    • 12.

  • Crist贸bal de Morales

    Gaude et laetare, Ferrariensis civitas

    Ensemble: Brabant Ensemble. Director: Stephen Rice.
    • HYPERION : CDA-67694.
    • HYPERION.
    • 4.

  • Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

    Fuit homo missus a Deo

    Choir: The Sixteen. Conductor: Harry Christophers.
    • CORO : COR-16197.
    • CORO.
    • 8.

  • Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

    Missa Papae Marcelli (Sanctus)

    Choir: Oxford Camerata. Conductor: Jeremy Summerly.
    • NAXOS : 8.553238.
    • NAXOS.
    • 4.

  • Anonymous

    Ricercar del secondo tuono

    Performer: Jean Rondeau.
    • ERATO : 5419741617.
    • ERATO.
    • 14.

  • Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

    Missa sine nomine (Gloria)

    Music Arranger: Johann Sebastian Bach. Ensemble: Concerto Palatino. Director: Bruce Dickey.
    • WARNER CLASSICS : 9029590910.
    • WARNER CLASSICS.
    • 6.

  • Johann Sebastian Bach

    Mass in B minor, BWV 232 (excerpt)

    Singer: Dorothee Mields. Singer: Thomas Hobbs. Orchestra: Collegium Vocale Gent Orchestra. Conductor: Philippe Herreweghe.
    • PHI : LPH-004.
    • PHI.
    • 12.

  • Robert Morton

    Il sera pour vous conbatu (instrumental)

    Ensemble: The Boston Camerata. Ensemble: Boston Shawm And Sackbut Ensemble. Director: Joel Cohen.
    • ERATO : 2173245421.
    • ERATO.
    • 2.

  • Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

    Missa L'homme arme a 5 (Kyrie & Gloria)

    Choir: San Petronio Bologna Cappella Musicale. Director: Sergio Vartolo.
    • NAXOS : 8.553314.
    • NAXOS.
    • 9.

  • Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

    Adoramus te Christe

    Music Arranger: Leopold Stokowski. Orchestra: Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. Conductor: Jos茅 Serebrier.
    • NAXOS : 8.572050.
    • NAXOS.
    • 11.

  • Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

    O admirabile commercium

    Choir: Westminster Cathedral Choir. Director: Martin Baker.
    • HELIOS : CDH 55367.
    • HELIOS.
    • 13.

Broadcast

  • Wed 18 Jun 2025 16:00
    蜜芽传媒 Radio 3

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