Rome, Here I Come
Donald Macleod invites you to Renaissance Rome, starting in a small town outside of the Eternal City, where our investigation into the origins of Giovanni da Palestrina begins...
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 first episode, Donald Macleod invites you to Renaissance Rome, starting in a small town outside of the Eternal City, where our investigation into the origins of Giovanni da Palestrina begins...
Sicut cervus
I. Sicut cervus
II. Sitivit anima mea
Stile Antico
Laudate pueri
I. Laudate pueri Dominum
II. Quis sicut Dominus Deus
El León de Oro
Peter Phillips, conductor
Pueri hebraeorum (arr for dobro)
Noël Akchoté, dobro guitar
Puer qui natus est
The Sixteen
Harry Christophers, conductor
Missa Assumpta est Maria
I. Kyrie
II. Gloria
La Chapelle Royale
Philippe Herreweghe, director
Josquin des Prez: O virgo prudentissima
I. O virgo prudentissima
The Gesualdo Six
Owain Park, director
Josquin des Prez: Fortuna d’un gran tempo
La Reverdie
Costanzo Festa: Sancta Maria succurre miseris
Cantica Symphonia
Kees Boeke, director
Sacred Madrigals, Book 2 (Delle madrigali spirituali libro secondo)
Città di Dio
Corvina Consort
Zoltán Kalmanovits, director
Ricercar del primo tuono
Jean Rondeau, harpsichord
Magnificat Primi toni
Voces8
Presenter by Donald Macleod
Produced by Julien Rosa
A ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Audio Wales & West production for ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Radio 3
On radio
More episodes
Previous
You are at the first episode
Broadcast
- Mon 16 Jun 2025 16:00ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Radio 3
Beethoven Unleashed – the box set
The complete set of Radio 3 Beethoven Unleashed podcasts, with Donald Macleod.
What was really wrong with Beethoven?
Georgia Mann and neurosurgeon Henry Marsh examine the composer's numerous health problems
Composers A to Z
Visit the extensive audio archive of Radio 3 programmes about Composers and their works.
Who knew? Five eye-opening stories from Composer of the Week
The production team reflects on 5 of Donald Macleod’s best stories from the last 20 years
Five reasons why we love Parry's Jerusalem
What is the strange power of Jerusalem which makes strong men weep?
A man out of time – why Parry's music and ideas were at odds with his image...
The composer of Jerusalem was very far from the conservative figure his image suggests.
Composer Help Page
Find resources and contacts for composers from within the classical music industry.