Often when we talk about a Roman School of sacred music, its “opponents” tend to just metaphorically shrug it off, as if it were only a claim with no foundation in reality. This reminds me of Giovanni Maria Nanino (1545-1607), teacher at Santa Maria Maggiore (St Mary Major), St Peter’s, and San Luigi dei Francesi (St Louis of the French), who was probably a pupil of Palestrina. Around 1580 he opened a music school in Rome, with Palestrina himself as a consultant. Just imagine: This is like opening a school of theology with Saint Thomas Aquinas as a consultant.
He was a composer, like his brother Giovanni Bernardino, who is sadly forgotten nowadays. Some of his compositions for eight voices are still remembered but are scarcely included in today’s choral repertoires. But his educational vocation is still important and deserves mentioning. With this as a starting point, we can say a few things about the Roman School.
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