Famous Composers of the Renaissance Period
1. Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, Rome, 1525 - February 2, 1594
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina is said to be
the greatest master of Roman Catholic Church
music during the Renaissance period. Majority
of his compositions are sacred music. He was
committed to sacred music and has a keen
interest in satisfying the desires of church
leaders in the sixteenth century. Palestrina's
Pope Marcellus Mass is held up as the perfect
example of counter-reformation style. Kyrie
is part of the first two sections of the Pope
Marcellus Mass.
His career reflects his commitment to the music of the church.
He received his early training and spent the majority of his career in
various churches in Rome, including the Pope's chapel. He was an
organist and choir master at both the Sistine Chapel and at St. Peter's
Basilica which may have influenced his distinctively pure and restrained
style in musical compositions. Palestrina also served as an organist in St.
Agapito. His first book, Masses became popular and was greatly appreciated
by Pope Julius III.
Palestrina has two sons but lost them both during the plague epidemic
that struck Rome in 1570s. He had planned to become a priest but eventually
changed his mind and married a wealthy widow. This improved his wealth
and enabled him to pursue a musical career for the rest of his life.





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