Palestrina and the Sound of (His) Music

Palestrina was (and perhaps is) considered virtually synonymous with sacred music, or at least sacred polyphony. Yet the so-called »Prince of Music« is strangely disregarded by modern interdisciplinary scholarship. «Selten gibt es einen Meister, der so wenig gekannt ist wie Palestrina, und der so falsch aufgefasst wird – und letzteres obendrein zuweilen von Leuten, welche sich für ihn möglichst enthusiasmieren!» («Rarely is there a master as little known as Palestrina, and so misunderstood – sometimes, what is more, by those who are most enthusiastic about him!»). Ambros’s words date from more than 150 years ago, but they seem still valid today. Surprisingly few extensive studies of Palestrina and his music are being published; the last book on his life and works dates back to 2009 and was a rather isolated accomplishment. Many of his works remain understudied (if not unstudied) and unrecorded. It would be worth reflecting on the reasons for such neglect...