The composers who wrought at Rome after about 1570 were necessarily influenced by the new ideals. that had been set up, and this period is justly considered as the best of the Roman school. Within certain natural limits the forms in which Palestrina and his immediate successors worked and the methods they used were thought to be the acme of musical art. This special type continued into the 17th and rSth centuries, and is still supported by the official approval of the Catholic Church. But, as will be seen, progress in absolutely new directions became so absorbing that the Palestrina style was presently overtopped in popular interest and historic importance by styles. belonging to a totally different sphere.
Giovanni Maria Nanino (d. 1607), born at Tivoli about 1545, after study probably with Gaudio Mell, Palestrina's reputed teacher, became a singer at Sta. Maria Maggiore in 1571 and choirmaster at S. Luigi dei Francesi in 1575 and at Sta. Maria Maggiore from 1579. He founded an important singing-school in which Palestrina was a teacher, with a noble line of pupils. He was in the Papal Chapel in 1577-9, and its choirmaster from 16°4. He is ranked as a composer of high order, belonging to the conservative school like Palestrina, though not equaling him in originality or productiveness. His relatively few remaining works (from about 157I) are largely secular, but include some masses, motets and lamentations. With him was associated his nephew, Giovanni Bernardino Nanino (d. 1623), a less striking, but more enterprising, genius (works from 1588).
Tomas Luis de Victoria [called Vittoria in Italy] (d. c. 1613) was born at Avila (Spain) about 1540, caIne to Rome, studied under Morales, in 1566 became singer and later choirmaster at the German College and later at S. Apollinare, and from 1589 served in the Royal Chapel at Madrid. He was a close friend of Palestrina and their styles were similar, though he had a warmth peculiarly his own. His extant works are all sacred and are numerous and powerful (from 1576). He often wrote for Inany voices.
Felice Anerio (d. 1614), born at ROIne, a pupil of G. M. Nanino, was so closely affiliated with Palestrina that their works have been confounded. After holding lesser positions, in 1594 he succeeded him as composer to the Papal Choir - the only other appointee to this post. His known works are not many (1585-1606).
Giovanni Francesco Anerio (d. c. 1620), perhaps the brother of Felice, was born about 1567, and in 1575-9 was a choirboy at St. Peter's under Palestrina. In 1609 he was royal choirmaster in Poland and in 1610 at Verona, but returned to Rome in 161r , His fertility was great and his works (from 1599) were extremely varied, the later ones being quite out of the recognized a cappella styles. He arranged Palestrina's Marcellus Mass and two others for fourvoices (1619).
Francesco Soriano (d. 1620), born at Rome in 1549 and a pupil of Zoilo, G. M. Nanino and Palestrina, held several posts as choirmaster - from J 581 at S. Luigi dei Francesi, soon after at Mantua, from 1587 at Sta. Maria Maggiore and again from 1600, in 1599 at the Lateran, and from 1603 at St. Peter's. His motets, masses, psahns, passions and madrigals (from 1581) show a versatile and powerful genius; he also rearranged the Marcellus Mass.
Tiburtio Massaini is an example of representatives of the Roman school whose activity was mainly elsewhere. He was in Rome in 1571, at various places in Italy afterward, and also in imperial service in Austria (many works from 1569).
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
