Pierluigi

Pierluigi

Giovanni Pierluigi was born in 1525 in a little town near Rome called Palestrina. At the age of 18, he became organist of the Palestrina Cathedral. After a few years the Bishop of Palestrina became Pope, and called Pierluigi to Rome to be choirmaster of the Julian Chapel at the Vatican. Henceforth he was famous as a composer of beautiful Church music of the kind then in use-that is, choral music without accompaniment of any instrument. Today he is looked upon by all musicians as the greatest composer of that idiom of music who ever lived. Besides Church music, he wrote Madrigals ( non-religious or secular choral pieces without musical back-up). Pierluigi is most remembered, however, for his 180 Motets. This may be considered a sort of anthem, as sung in the Roman Catholic and Lutheran Churches, some of the 180 Motets are still performed in concert by choral societies today. [AW] {JO}