Overview
Performance Time: 75 minutes
Tickets available on the door
Explore of the music of Palestrina, performed by candlelight in Cirencester's majestic 12th-century wool church as part of the 2025 Cirencester History Festival.
For one night only, travel back half a millennium as we perform, a cappella and by real candlelight, in Cirencester’s majestic twelfth-century wool church to celebrate the 500th birthday of great Renaissance composer Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525-94). Described by Giuseppe Verdi as ‘the real king of sacred music’, Palestrina developed a famously ethereal and polyphonic (many voiced) sound, written for the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel where musical instruments were prohibited and voices alone could provide depth of tone and harmony. The programme explores some of Palestrina’s extensive output and his influence on those who sang and learnt from him in the Eternal City with works by Allegri (composer of the famous Miserere) and Asprillio Pacelli, his predecessor Josquin des Prez, his Spanish counterpart Tomas Luis da Victoria, and three trailblazing female composers of the time – Maddalena Casulana, Rafaela Aleotti and Caterina Asandra.
PROGRAMME
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Palestrina
Assumpta est Maria
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Palestrina
Kyrie from Missa L’homme armé
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Palestrina
Gloria from Missa Papae Marcelli
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Allegri
Miserere (evolution version)
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Palestrina
Pater noster
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Casulana
Morir non puo
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Aleotti
Surge propera
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Asandra
Salve Regina a8
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Josquin des Prez
Gaude Virgo
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Palestrina
Pulchra es
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Palestrina
Quae est ista
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Palestrina
Descendi in hortum mum
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Pacelli
Gaudent in caelis a12
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Victoria
Versa est in luctum from Officium Defunctorum
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Palestrina
Caro mea
PERFORMERS
- The Sixteen
- Eamonn Dougan conductor