Palestrina: Pope Marcellus Mass

Pope Marcellus Mass, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, c. 1568

When I first started to get into classical music, I hadn't realized that choral music was such big thing. I knew of the Beethoven symphonies, and the organ music of Bach, and the piano music of Mozart, but where are you hearing the choral music of Dufay, or Josquin, or Palestrina? Sadly, you don't hear too much of this music performed, or even played on the radio. Our local station doesn't seem to play too much choral music. Sure, you hear every interminable piano concerto by every second or third rate classical or romantic composer, but the vast repertory of choral music isn't something regularly heard. This is also a curious thing for me being a choral conductor. I am around many choral musicians and most of us become and are becoming so aware of the choral music repertory that we forget that a lot of everyday people don't know about vast riches of this genre.

Palestria, or Giovanni, or John from Palestrina was a court composer like many of his day. This mass was a part of Palestrina's second book of masses. Palestrina began work under Pope Julius and was adored by this religious leader. Appointed as maestro of the Cappella Guilia by Julius, Palestrina composed music to be performed in and for the church. Working on what would become the Marcellus mass, Julius dies and is succeeded by a dude who would take the name Marcellus. Pope Marcellus serves for three weeks, yes, weeks, and then dies. It was after this that Palestrina would no longer experience the glories of composing such exquisite music as Marcellus's successor, Pope Paul IV, would reform in such ways that limited the stretch of Palestrina's compositional freedom. So, we see one of the most popular masses, the Pope Marcellus Mass or, Missa Papae Marcelli, before the reforms of Pope Paul IV.

Coming from the second book of masses, 1567, Marcellus Mass is one that stands the test of time. With the second book of masses, Palestrina himself writes "I have, therefore, worked out these Masses with the greatest possible care, to do honor to the worship of almighty God, to which this gift, as small as it may be, is offered and accommodated."

My favorite movement is the Kyrie. I wish that I could have a chance to conduct it soon, however, it may be a while. I love the Agnus Dei after that... great stuff. Something that draws me to listen closely to the works of Palestrina is his use of plagal cadences, or "amen" cadences. A type of cadence I have heard practically from the womb, makes me wonder if there is something primitive about it's nature. Nonetheless, the work is of exquisite (there's that word again) quality and you must listen to it soon. He sets, obviously seen to some of us, the ordinary of the Mass (i.e., Kyrie, Gloria, Creed, Sanctus, Agnus Dei). For 6 voices, (2 soprano and 2 bass parts) this must be performed soon! Listen to it... do it, you won't regret it. Download Westminster Choir College singing it, Simon Preston conducting. You won't go wrong!