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 became 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 origin 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) and by his position as composer to the Papal Choir—a dignity conferred only upon him and upon his successor Anerio.
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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. (1862-1903). His Improperia have been sung in the Sistine Chapel
on Good Fridays since 1560, and many other works are still in use.
In the middle of the century there arose a sharp debate about
the whole method of ecclesiastical music. As has been noted
(sec. 44), the Netherlanders evolved their praxis out of secular
music, not hesitating to take 'subjects' for masses and motets
from popular song, even those with vulgar or jocose words.
They even tolerated the singing of these phrases to their original
words, while the counterpoint proceeded with the Latin
text. When these customs were transplanted to Rome, they
were bound sooner or later to be challenged. When, therefore,
