Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina Italian Composer 1525-1594

Palestrina and the SpaniardVictoria were the two most important composers of latin church music in the sixteenth century. Palestrina spent most of his life in Rome where he recieved his musical training (at Santa Maria Maggiore). He served as choir master St. John Lateran and, later, of the great basilica of St Peter's. Palestrina's music was in the serious, anti-secular spirit of the counter-reformation. His music was approved by the Council of Trent, which was formulating church discipline for the counter-reformation in reaction to Luther.