Get on with Giovanni Palestrina

I've always liked the motets of Thomas Tallis and still listen to Spem et Alum even after hearing it many dozens of times over the years.

But Palestrina (left) 1525 - 1594 does it all and listening to his seamless music is a glimpse of his heaven. He was educated and choirboy at Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome and looking up at the arches and curves he worked under is reflects his music which too curves and soars amongst itself. Look for yourself and play the clips in the music player at the top of the page to see if you agree. Listen to how he makes the separate melodies weave in and out and meld into one glorious harmonic joy.

Musically its called polyphonic - I just call it sheer beauty.

Interesting about his times was the debate about music concealing the scriptural words - which to the Church the most important part. Palestrina overcame this despite the fact that up to six lines of music are sounding at the same time. If you haven’t heard these 16^th century wonders – or indeed William Byrd – greatest of the Elizabethan composers who took polyphonic church music and songwriting on further and higher -
then rush out today and do so.

You will never be the same person again.