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500 YEARS. SO MANY NAMES, SO MANY MEANINGS No.30/20.11
- victorshramko
- Nov 20
- 3 min read
Sometimes so many names, differing only in the shadows of their marking, describe the same thing. Sometimes a single word or name has multiple meanings.
This year marks the significant anniversary of a very important composer, though one covered in the dust of centuries. We know when he was born in 1525 but without other details. And where – in a town called … Palestrina. Near Rome.
Where it is colder
The town in the central Apennines in ancient mythology was named Praeneste and connected with Ulysses. The poet Horace ranked it as a 'cool Praeneste'. (We understand very well such value.) The Etruscans lived here a long time ago. They had a rich culture. This was confirmed by excavations in the 19th and 20th centuries. Unfortunately, they ended in plunder.
When Giovanni was born here to Neapolitan parents, Santo and Palma Perluigi, the town at that time was within the Papal State. The town wasn't named after him, of course. Quite the opposite, he took his surname from his birthplace.
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
His mother died when he was 10 years old. As a child, Giovanni went to Rome and started studying singing and counterpoint there. He was to spend most of his life in this city.
In 1544, he returned to his hometown for just a few years as a Maestro di Capella at the Cathedral Church. There he married Lucrezia Gori. At that time, he also published the first volume of his music and dedicated it to the then Pope, Julius III. It was the first such edition by an Italian native composer. As a result, he became Maestro di Capella at St. Peter's Basilica and a member of the papal choir in the Sistine Chapel.
Love Requires Sacrifices
Unfortunately, he had to resign in 1555. The next Pope, Paul IV, decreed strict celibacy, including choristers! Giovanni had a wife and already four children. And he chose to stay with his family. But he dedicated the next two volumes of his works to the King of Spain, Philip II, hoping for his protection.
In 1571, he returned as Maestro di Capella to St. Peter's Basilica. Although he was dissatisfied with the conditions, he remained there until the end. In the 1570s, a plague struck Rome, and he lost his wife, two sons, and his brother. After losing his loved ones and due to financial problems, he decided to be ordained a priest. However, after just eight months, he changed his mind. He married a wealthy widow and took over her fur business.
Freed from financial worries, he became active in the community. He co-founded a musicians' union (Campagnia dei Signori Musici di Roma; as the name suggests, the members were exclusively men). This union later evolved into the renowned:
Accademia di Santa Cecilia
In Italy, Santa Cecilia is considered the patron saint of musicians. The prestigious Academy educates renowned musicians. Among its students in the 20th century was the daughter of the Director of the Warsaw Opera, Cesare Trombini. The pianist, harpsichordist, and later Professor, Margherita Trombini-Kazuro, was my beloved professor, also for my wife Anna and previously my mother's at the Warsaw Conservatory. And I became aware of these five centuries-long connections thanks to... Giovanni da Palestrina and the desire to write about him for you.
Lost Returns
Towards the end of his life, Palestrina wanted to return to his hometown, but a month before his planned departure, on February 2, 1594, he passed away of pleurisy in Rome. The funeral was held in St. Peter's Basilica, and he was buried beneath the floor there with the inscription: Ioannes Petrus Aloysius Praenistinus Musicae Princeps. His tomb was later covered by new construction, and attempts to locate his grave have been unsuccessful. Yes, history shows us that the fame and oblivion of even the greatest intertwine for centuries, even decades. Palestrina left hundreds of compositions. Due to his enormous influence on the music of his time, Palestrina was called
'The Bach of the Renaissance' and the 'Prince of Musicians'.
And forgotten. However, not at all: There is a third meaning to the name of Palestrina. It's the title of an opera written over a hundred years ago (in 1917) by the German composer Hans Pfitzner. He wrote the libretto himself. It's the composer's story. This musical legend was conducted at the premiere by the famous conductor Bruno Walter. Before his death, he wrote in a letter: „I am convinced that Palestrina will survive. This work has all elements of immortality.' As well as Giovanni da Palestrina,
Enough words.
Let us play:
G.P. da Palestrina- Missa Nasce la gioja mia a 6 voices
The Tallis Scholars, Peter Phillips
Written by
Cezary Owerkowicz
Co-founder of Kuwait Music Academy and
Director of Treasure of Talents Festival in Kuwait
