Roma æterna

Featuring

Andrew Fuchs
Jonathan Woody
Tim Keeler
New York Polyphony
Francisco Guerrero
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

Tomás Luis de Victoria

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Historical Context

During the Renaissance, Rome, the 'Eternal City', attracted ambitious artists from abroad while also serving as a bastion of conservatism.

Composer Biography

Francisco Guerrero, a Spanish contemporary of Palestrina and Victoria, was widely known for his music in Europe and Latin America, and his Marian antiphon Regina cæli was published four times during his lifetime.

Compositional Technique

The Missa Papæ Marcelli is renowned for its memorable fusion of simplicity and clarity, ensuring the intelligibility of the Mass text while maintaining melodic, harmonic, and rhythmic refinement.

Composition History

Palestrina's Missa Papæ Marcelli is his best-known work, and its composition date was long debated, with some believing it saved ecclesiastical polyphony from being banned by the Council of Trent.

Performer Biography

New York Polyphony, praised for its 'rich, natural sound,' is considered one of the finest vocal chamber ensembles globally, known for innovative programming and bringing early music into the classical mainstream.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Renaissance musicians in Rome, unlike poets or artists, initially had exceptional freedom to embrace foreign styles because they lacked ancient models for inspiration.

Composer Biography

Tomás Luis de Victoria, considered the most outstanding Spanish composer of his era, studied in Rome under the patronage of Philip II and succeeded Palestrina as chapel master of the Roman Seminary.