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Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (c. 1525–1594) is often hailed as the "Prince of Music" and a master of Renaissance polyphony. His compositions, particularly sacred choral works, exemplify clarity, balance, and spiritual depth. Palestrina served as Maestro of the Cappella Giulia and was a singer in the Sistine Chapel Choir. His most famous work, the Missa Papae Marcelli (Mass for Pope Marcellus), is often credited—perhaps apocryphally—with convincing the Council of Trent not to ban polyphonic music in church services, due to its intelligibility and reverence.
In 2025, the Vatican commemorated the 500th anniversary of his birth with a special postage stamp, postmark, and a music CD featuring selections of his most iconic works, including the Missa Papae Marcelli and motets from the Song of Songs.
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