Composer Of The Week

Donald Macleod investigates the life of a Renaissance genius, Giovanni da PalestrinaGiovanni 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.Music Featured: Sicut cervus Laudate pueri Pueri hebraeorum (arr for dobro) Puer qui natus est Missa Assumpta est Maria (excerpt) Josquin des Prez: O virgo prudentissima Josquin des Prez: Fortuna d’un gran tempo Costanzo Festa: Sancta Maria succurre miseris Sacred Madrigals, Book 2, Città di Dio Ricercar del primo tuono Magnificat