ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½

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