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Giovanni 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.

In this second episode, as young Palestrina makes a name for himself in Rome, Donald Macleod opens the venerable score of the Mass which is considered to have marked a turning point in music history.

Missa Ecce sacerdos magnus
from Missarum liber primus (First Book of Masses)
III. Sanctus
Coro polifonico dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia
Roberto Gabbiani, conductor

Quam pulchri sunt gressus tui
The King’s Singers

Pulchra es, amica mea (arr Volbers for recorder ensemble)
Max Volbers, Anne-Suse Enßle, Elisabeth Wirth, Felix Gutschi, Jonathan Volbers, recorders

Carl Nielsen: 3 Motets, FS139
No 1, Afflictus sum
Ars Nova Copenhagen
Paul Hillier, conductor

Missa Papae Marcelli
I. Kyrie
II. Gloria
The Tallis Scholars
Peter Phillips, director

Le Vergini (from Petrarch)
from Primo libro de madrigali, a 5 voci (First Book of Madrigals, for 5 voices)
Vergine bella… Vergine saggia…
Akademia - Ensemble Vocal Régional de Champagne Ardenne
Françoise Lasserre, conductor

Vestiva i colli
Les Sonadori

Third Book of Lamentations
Sabbato Sancto: Lectio III, Incipit oratio Ieremiae prophetae
Westminster Cathedral Choir
Martin Baker, conductor

Presenter by Donald Macleod
Produced by Julien Rosa
A ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Audio Wales & West production for ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio 3