One of the most famous composers of Catholic church music, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525–1594), would be turning 500 this year.
Already renowned in his own time, Palestrina composed more than a hundred Masses as well as a large number of other examples of vocal polyphony. The best-known of his works today is probably the Missa Papae Marcelli, a six-voice Mass possibly written for the coronation of Pope Marcellus II.
Although Palestrina’s music is commonly described as “polyphonic,” his musical texture is, compared to the older Franco-Flemish style, rather homophonic – leaning on chords and harmonies more than on truly independent contrapuntal lines.
This “clarity of expression” suited the ideals of the Counter-Reformation, which sought intelligibility of the sacred text for the sake of conveying its message. Palestrina gained fame already during his lifetime as a reformer of church music, and after his death, the term “Palestrina counterpoint” became almost iconic – referring to (and sometimes still referring to) the exemplary quality of his music within the Catholic tradition.
Among his musical characteristics were the use of double choirs and the strengthening of major–minor tonality. He sought to achieve a kind of “detachment from the human sphere” in his music – and undoubtedly succeeded in that to an exemplary degree.
As in many other matters, proclaiming someone as an ideal rarely tells the whole truth about the person or his actions. Many other masters composed sacred music during the Renaissance – though women served as musicians in the Church even less than in secular courts, since they were excluded from almost all public roles in both society and the Church. However, especially in the French court from the 17th century onward, women were employed as court musicians and artists.
Among other Renaissance composers worth mentioning are the Milanese Vincenzo Ruffo (c. 1508–1587), the Roman Felice Anerio (c. 1560–1614), and from the musical city of Venice, Andrea Gabrieli (c. 1532–1585) and his nephew Giovanni Gabrieli (c. 1554–1612).
Palestrina thus achieved legendary status already during his lifetime, even though his marriage initially prevented him from serving as a musician in papal chapels in the aftermath of the Council of Trent. Later he received a special dispensation and returned to St Peter’s Basilica.
After losing his first wife and part of his family to the plague, Palestrina remarried in the 1580s – this time to a wealthy widow. It was a shrewd decision, at least financially. The composer appears to have been quite the opportunist in advancing his career, but in any era, such pragmatism has hardly ever been a disadvantage.
Pilvi Listo-Tervaportti
Sources: Veijo Murtomäki, Palestrina (Muhi database); same author, “Pyhä Palestrina paistattelee pilven päällä,” Helsingin Sanomat, 1 August 2006.
You can hear Palestrina – and others – performed by the vocal ensemble Uoma in their anniversary concert Secunda pars on Thursday, 30 October 2025, at 19:00–20:20 (including intermission) in St Paul’s Church, Helsinki (Sammatintie 5). Tickets available at the door or via lippu.fi.