Some twenty miles from Rome, the insignificant but picturesquely
situated town of Palestrina, lies on the hillside. The Praeneste of
antiquity, it was once an important colony of Rome, many of whose
wealthy ones resorted thither in summer, for the sake of its bracing
atmosphere, which Horace extolled. Excavations here have yielded a
rich harvest, and the Eternal City holds among its ancient treasures
few of more interest or value than those recovered from the soil of
Palestrina.
[Illustration: Palestrina. From painting by Ferdinand Heilbruth.]
Here, probably in 1524, was born Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, who
received his last name from that of his native town. His parents were
of humble station in life, but, beyond this fact, we know little that
is reliable about his youth or early education. In 1540 he went to
Rome, and became a pupil at the music school of Claudio Goudimel, a
French composer, who turned Protestant, and perished in the massacre of
St. Bartholomew's Day. Palestrina appears to have returned to his
birthplace when he was about twenty years old, and to have been made
organist and director of music in the cathedral. He married in 1546,
and had several sons, but in 1551 was again in Rome, where he held the
position of teacher of the boy singers in the Capella Giulia, in the
Vatican. While holding this office, he composed a set of masses, which
he dedicated to Julius III., and which were issued in 1554. Before
that time, Flemish composers had supplied all the music of the Church,
and these masses are the first important work by an Italian musician.
The Pope recognised their value by appointing Palestrina one of the
singers of the papal choir, which was against the rules of the Church,
married singers being debarred. Nor was the composer's voice such as
entitled him to a place in this splendid body of singers, and he
conscientiously hesitated before accepting the position. He did not,
however, hold it long, for Julius III. died within a few months, and
his successor, Marcellus II., lived but twenty-three days after
becoming Pope. Paul IV., who succeeded Marcellus, was a reformer, and
dismissed Palestrina from the choir, which was a severe blow to the
poor composer. But in October of the same year (1555) he was made
director of the music at the Lateran Church, where he remained for over
five years. During this time he produced several important works,
among them being his volume of _Improperia_ ("the Reproaches"), an
eight-voiced "Crux Fidelis," and the set of "Lamentations" for four
voices. These compositions gave him fame as the leader of a new
school, the pure school of Italian church-music. In 1561 the composer
became director of music at the Church of St. Maria Maggiore, where he
remained ten years, during which period the event took place which gave
him his greatest fame.
For years church music had been lacking in that dignity which should be
its main characteristic, and this fault was largely due to the Flemish
composers, who thought most of displaying their technical skill. They
frequently selected some well-known secular tune around which to weave
their counterpoint, many masses, for instance, having been written on
the old Provencal song of "L' Homme Armé." Some of the melodies chosen
as the basis for masses were nothing but drinking songs. At that time
the tenor generally sang the melody, and, as in order to show on what
foundation their work rested, the Flemings retained the original words
in his part, it was not uncommon to hear the tenors singing some
bacchanalian verses, while the rest of the choir were intoning the
sacred words of a "Gloria" or an "Agnus Dei." These abuses lasted for
an incredibly long time, but finally, in 1562, the cardinals were
brought together for the purification of all churchly matters, and the
Council of Trent took note of the evil. All were agreed upon
abolishing secular words from the mass, and some even urged the
banishment of counterpoint itself, and a return to the plain song or
chant, but fortunately this sweeping reform met with a vigorous protest
from others. At last the whole matter was referred to a committee of
eight cardinals, who wisely sought the aid of an equal number of the
papal singers, and the outcome of their debate was a commission given
Palestrina to write a mass, which should employ counterpoint without
irreverence, and prove that religion and music might be blended into
one.
The composer, in response to this signal mark of confidence, wrote
three masses, which he submitted in 1565. The third one was the
celebrated "Mass of Pope Marcellus," of which the Pope ordered a
special performance by the choir of the Apostolical Chapel. The
rendition was followed by the complete acceptance of Palestrina's work.
A new office, that of "Composer to the Pontifical Choir," was created
for him, and in 1571 he became leader of the choir of St. Peter's.
Although highly honoured and rewarded with many offices, Palestrina
received no great pecuniary recompense for his labours. His life was
blessed, however, with the love of a devoted wife, and the friendship
of many true admirers, especially Cardinal Carlo Borromeo and Filippo
Neri, the founder of oratorio, both of whom were afterward canonised.
Palestrina died in 1594, and lies buried in St. Peter's, where his
works are still performed. To the end of his life he never ceased to
produce, and left behind him over ninety masses, one hundred and
seventy-nine motettes, forty-five sets of hymns for the entire year,
and an immense quantity of other compositions. No composer, it is
said, has ever existed at once so prolific and so sustainedly powerful.
Both the man and his work deserve our regard. Elson says: "If ever the
Catholic Church desires to canonise a musical composer, it will find
devoutness, humility, and many other saintly characteristics in
Palestrina."
Palestrina, in reverend age, discoursing on his art to some pupils or
friends, has been painted by Ferdinand Heilbuth (1826-1889), an artist
who, born in Germany of Jewish parents, gained his greatest successes
in France. He painted three classes of pictures,--those in which
celebrated personages of other times are the central attraction, as in
"Palestrina;" others which portray aged ecclesiastics of the Roman
Church, conversing with the orphan boys of some religious foundation,
or the like; and lastly, charming transcripts from field or wood, in
whose foreground he placed some fair dame in fashionable attire.