Palestriana

Suite • 2025
Grade 5 (hard) • ca. 15 min. • FC Music Publishing

Instrumentation : 2Tpt, 1Hn, 1Tbn, 1Tba

Palestriana is the name of a project that brought together the La Schola de Sion Vocal Ensemble and the brass quintet of the Harmonie Municipale de Sion. It was presented at the Espace 2 Schubertiade in Sion, Valais, Switzerland, in September 2025. Led by Marc Bochud, the project involved numerous young singers and five instrumentalists, who performed motets by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525–1594) and compositions by yours truly.

The original music, designed to frame or introduce a specific motet, is based either on the motivic material of a Palestrina motet, the associated Gregorian antiphon, or a combination of the two. The musical language varies greatly from one movement to another, sometimes borrowing aesthetic principles from the Renaissance and at other times venturing into more contemporary idioms. The intention is not to imitate Palestrina, but rather to create contrasts with his style and pay homage to one of the most significant composers in history.

This concert suite is based on music composed for the Palestriana project.

I. Intrada (supra Sicut cervus) · ca. 2’30

The Intrada opens with a majestic fanfare based on the initial intervals of Palestrina's motet 'Sicut cervus'. The various melismas employed by the composer form the basis of the entire introduction, particularly in the more contrapuntal central section. In ternary form, the Intrada ends with the return of the initial fanfare motif.

II. Meditazione e Toccata (supra Lucis creator optime) · ca. 4’30

The second movement begins with a chorale motif derived from « harmonic » progressions in Palestrina's polyphonic motet and the Gregorian antiphon 'Lucis creator optime'. The music gradually becomes more animated, leading into a Toccata with a decidedly scherzando character.

III. Invocazioni (supra Rex gloriose martyrum and Nigra sum, sed formosa) · ca. 6’30

The title of the third movement of the suite refers to the liturgical nature of Palestrina's repertoire, in which prayer often takes the form of dialogue between different voices, such as those of various choirs. In this piece, two contrasting musical themes face each other and respond to each other like litanies followed by moments of contemplation.

IV. Finale (supra Kyrie Litaniarum deiparae virginis) · ca. 2′

The final movement has a symmetrical internal structure, with motifs frequently repeated immediately with variations in nuance or character. The musical material parodies the Kyrie from a Palestrina mass dedicated to the Virgin Mary. This festive and solemn finale brings the work to a brilliant conclusion.