Palestrina, Palestrina, Man Renaissance,
top-tier sacred music-maker—wore that crown.
“Giovanni Pierluigi” takes much room
when added to “Palestrina” to write down.

Sought perfection in all that he scrawled.

Amazing work put together, Palestrina:
hundred-five masses were just some of his art.
Filled up notebooks, tomes toted had motets,
madrigals, airs—some of his wares.
Magnificats and hymns, Palestrina.
I love the range of his output, above just part.

Palestrina, boy, those parts!*

Your body of work is awesome, Palestrina;
you’re a great composer, and you got your start
as a lad in a place that to you lent
your name, it’s there you came to share
with zeal your feeling for Palestrina,**
a town whose name and yours, the same. . .fame won’t depart.

Palestrina, pal o’ Peter’s.***


*Palestrina’s work is seen by many as the culmination of Renaissance polyphony.
**He was born in the town of Palestrina, near Rome, then part of the Papal States.
**In 1571 Palestrina returned to the Julian Chapel from other assignments and remained at St Peter's for the rest of his life.