Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

the long version

Palestrina was born in the first quarter of the sixteenth century. He contributed to the polyphony of the sixteenth century; a perfect means to the end in view which, in St. Augustine's words, was "prayer to God with song". The long connection of music with the Church bore fruit at last and lifted prayer higher than human language can soar; finding the right accents for pathos in supplication, jubilation in praise, sanctity in contemplation.