Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (c. 1525 – 2 February 1594) was an Italian Renaissance composer of sacred music and the best-known 16th-century representative of the Roman School of musical composition. He had a lasting influence on the development of church music, and his work has often been seen as the culmination of Renaissance polyphony.

By Francisco Prendes Veiga (@FPVMus);xNLx;All the images are public domain pictures, taken from the Wikipedia

1525-09-30 00:00:00

Born

We don't know the exact date. He was born in Palestrina (a small medieval city about 35 km east of Rome) c. 1525

1537-01-24 00:00:00

Visited Rome

It's said that he visited Rome for the first time in 1537 (he was about 12 years old) He stayed there as a chorister in Santa Maria Maggiore basilica.

1544-01-24 00:00:00

Organist of the cathedral

When he was 19 he became organist of the cathedral of St. Agapito in Palestrina

1547-06-12 00:00:00

Married

Married Lucrezia Gori (she died in 1580) They were married for 33 years and had three songs

1551-01-24 00:00:00

Maestro di Cappella

Pope Julius III appointed him "maestro di cappella" (musical director) of the Cappella Giulia (a choir that sings in St. Peter's Basilica)

1554-01-01 00:00:00

Missarum liber primus

It contains 5 complete masses

1555-01-01 00:00:00

Singer in the choir of the Sistine Chapel

He apparently received this prestigious position despite being married and not having been approved by the other singers. Dissmissed with a small pension in September

1555-10-01 00:00:00

St Giovanni Laterano

On October 1, 1555, Palestrina received his next appointment, as maestro di capella at San Giovanni Laterano in Rome. He stayed only until 1560, when an argument over pay led him to resign

1561-01-01 00:00:00

St Maria Maggiore

In 1561, he took the equivalent post at Santa Maria Maggiore, where he had sung as a young boy, and subsequently stayed there for about five years.

1562-01-01 00:00:00

Missa Papae Marcelli, or Pope Marcellus Mass

It is his most well-known and most often-performed mass. It was sung at the Papal Coronation Masses (the last being the coronation of Paul VI in 1963).

1563-01-01 00:00:00

First published book of motets

It's titled Motecta festorum totius anni. and it contains 36 motets (for 4 voices)

1571-01-01 00:00:00

Cappella Giulia

Palestrina became maestro di capella at the Capella Giulia again in 1571, where he remained for the rest of his life.

1572-03-12 03:50:53

Plague in Rome

Both his brother, Silla, and his son, Rodolfo, died.

1575-01-01 00:00:00

Plague, again

His second son, Angelo, also dies

1581-01-01 00:00:00

Remarried

He marries Virgina Dormoli, a wealthy widow (his first wife had died in 1580)

1581-01-01 00:00:00

First book of madrigals

26 spiritual madrigals for 5 voices

1584-01-01 00:00:00

Canticum Canticorum

Book of motets

1594-02-02 00:00:00

Died

Died in Roma, of pleurisy.

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

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