Even in his own lifetime his genius was seen to be of the highest order, at once representative and original, with an exaltation that remained unmatched for more than a century. Yet, wonderful as it was, its permanent impress upon musical art has been limited, because chiefly put forth in a form of church music which in theory holds itself aloof from other music and which was not an ultimate type. Both the greatness and the limitation of Palestrina's work are evidenced by the fact that it had comparatively little sequel. In its own field it was a consummation that could not be surpassed, but it came at a time when musical progress was turning with avidity to other fields.
The Palestrina style commands admiration, not for its mere technical dexterity as polyphony, though it is full of extreme skill, nor for its stupendous or startling effects, though it is eminently sublime, but for its rejection of intellectual cleverness for its own sake, its instinctive avoidance of secular elements and a secular spirit, its success in finding ways of expression' perfectly germane both to the solemn texts treated and to the conditions of the Roman liturgy, and an indescribable ideality or etherealness of conception. This ideality makes it to the modern taste somewhat cold and impersonal. Yet, when properly rendered and properly considered, its representative works stand among the noblest triumphs of religious art. While the Venetian styles were facing forward toward the more passionate forms of the r zth -and later centuries, the Palestrina style belonged rather to the mediaeval world, with its emphasis upon monastic- reveries and contemplation, so that it can be fully appreciated only through sympathy with that unmodern realm of belief and sentiment.
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (d. 1594) acquired his name from the village where he was born (in 1526) and had his early training. At 14 he probably went to Rome for four years, studied with a Netherlander, Gaudio Mell (not Goudimel), and in 1544 returned to Palestrina as organist, marrying there in 1547. In 1551 he was called to St. Peter's as choirmaster, whence in 1555 for about six months he was taken into the Papal Chapel, being thrown out, with others, by a change of popes and an enforcement of the rule against .married singers. He then becaine choirmaster successively at the Lateran and in 1561 at Sta. Maria Maggiore, besides being employed by the Pope from 1565 to supply various works for his Chapel. In 1571 he was called back to St. Peter's, where, in spite of attractions elsewhere (as to Mantua in 1583), he remained till his death, over twenty years later: In 1581, having lost his wife, he was married again to a wealthy widow. Though probably of humble ongln and perhaps early struggling with hardship and the jealousy of rivals, his. later years were spent in ease and honor. It is said, however, that of his four sons, the three more promising died young. His renown was both attested and enhanced by his connection with the debate before the Council of Trent (see below) arid by his position as composer to the Papal Choir-a dignity conferred only upon him and upon his successor Anerio.
His works were probably more numerous than of any other Italian writer of the period, including over 90 masses (12 books, 1554-1601), over 500 motets (7 books, 1563-84), and other church pieces, such as hymns, lamentations, litanies, offertoria, laudi and madrigali spirituali, etc., and over 100 madrigals (from 1555). They are now republished complete in a standard edition of 33 vols, (1862-19°3). His Improperia have been sung in the Sistine Chapel on Good Fridays since 1560, and many other works are still in use.
The Papal Chapel and Musical Developments
