Distant Mirror: Feb. 2 - Palestrina's Pope Marcellus Mass

On Friday's Distant Mirror hear Palestrina's Pope Marcellus Mass, the work credited with saving polyphonic church music. The story goes that in order to more ably counter the Reformation the cardinals at the Council of Trent in 1555 sought to return to plainchant, claiming that polyphony was too sensual, too elaborate and inaudible.  Pope Marcellus  directed Palestrina to write a mass to save part music, the result being the Pope Marcellus Mass, considered by many to be the greatest mass ever composed.  Hear a performance of it by the Tallis Scholars  Friday night at 10 on Distant Mirror, hosted by Allan Kelly.