𝄞 Palestrina 500

A flyer commemorating the 500th anniversary of Palestrina, 1525-2025, for the choir of Rosedale Presbyterian Church, Toronto. It features a detailed sketch of St. Peter's Basilica in the center, with decorative floral borders on the top right and bottom left corners. The flyer provides event details including Sunday services at 10:30, with information about the choir's repertoire, and includes the church's address and website.

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (born c. 1525, Palestrina, near Rome—died February 2, 1594, Rome) was an Italian Renaissance composer of more than 105 masses and 250 motets, a master of contrapuntal composition. He lived during the period of the Roman Catholic Counter-Reformation and was a primary representative of the 16th-century conservative approach to church music. He may be seen today not just as a preeminent artistic figure in the Roman Catholic church’s project of recovery from the traumas of the Protestant Reformation, but the codifier and unchallenged master (and champion, against a movement within the Council of Trent) of a polyphonic choral style that remains influential today.

Palestrina’s music will be featured throughout the fall of this quincentennial year and into spring 2026 at Rosedale Presbyterian Church in a weekly selection from his antiphons, hymns, masses, motets, offertories and responsories. This treasury of beauty that once represented Rome’s defiance of change is now a part of the legacy of choral music owned by a grateful church, and a grateful world. Join us in-person at 10:30 Sunday mornings, or stream, live or recorded, on YouTube at

https://www.youtube.com/@rpcto/streams

~ Christopher Dawes, Director of Music

Download Poster PDF

Download Schedule PDF

See detailed monthly Word and Music Lists

Palestrina 500 - Planned Schedule

(subject to change)

2025

14 Sep – 14th after Pentecost

Motet – Adoramus te Christe

21 Sep – 15th after Pentecost

Offertory – Laudate Dominum

28 Sep – Children’s Sunday

Responsory – Venit Michael archangelus

†

5 Oct – Communion Sunday

Agnus Dei – Missa O Sacrum Convivium

12 Oct – Thanksgiving Sunday

Offertory – In te speravi

19 Oct – 19th after Pentecost

Antiphon – O Doctor Optime

26 Oct – 20th after Pentecost

Offertory – Jubilate Deo omnis terra

†

2 Nov – All Saints Sunday

Hymn - Deus tuorum militum
Motet – Gaudent in coelis

9 Nov – Remembrance Sunday

Offertory – Justorum animae

16 Nov – 23rd after Pentecost

Offertory – Populum humilem

23 Nov – Reign of Christ/St Cecilia

Antiphon – Cantantibus organis
Motet – Alma redemptoris Mater

30 Nov – Advent Sunday

Antiphon – Canite tuba

†

7 Dec – Advent II/Communion/Cantata Sunday

Missa Ave Maria (Kyrie, Sanctus, Agnus Dei)

14 Dec – Advent III

Offertory – Ad te levavi animam meam

21 Dec – Advent IV

Motet – Ave Maria

Wed 24 Dec – Christmas Eve

Antiphon – Hodie Christus natus est
Motet – O magnum mysterium

28 Dec – Christmas I / Holy Innocents

Hymn – Salvete, flores martyrum

†

2026

4 Jan – Epiphany Sunday

Hymn – Hostis Herodes impie
Offertory – Jubilate Deo universa terra

11 Jan – Baptism of Jesus

Motet – Sicut cervus

18 Jan – Anniversary Sunday

Motet – Urbs beata Jerusalem

25 Jan – Christian Unity

Motet – Surge illuminare

†

1 Feb – 4th after Epiphany / Presentation

Antiphon – Senex puerum portabat

8 Feb – 5th after Epiphany

Motet – Jesu, dulcis memoria

15 Feb – Transfiguration

Hymn – Lucis creator optime

22 Feb – Lent I

Hymn – Ad preces nostras
Motet – Parce mihi Domini

†

1 Mar – Lent II

Hymn – Christe qui lux est et dies

8 Mar – Lent III

Offertory – Super flumina Babylonis

15 Mar – Lent IV

Responsory – Tristis est anima mea

22 Mar – Lent V

Hymn – Ave maris stella

29 Mar – Palm Sunday

Antiphon – Pueri Hebraeorum
Hymn – Vexilla regis prodeunt

†

Fri 3 Apr – Good Friday

Hymn – Stabat mater dolorosa; Motets – O Saviour, He humbled himself; Reproaches – Popule meus

5 Apr – Easter Sunday / Communion

Motet – Alleluja, tulerunt Dominum; Motet – Resurrexi; Agnus Dei – Missa Papae Marcelli

12 Apr – Easter II

Antiphon – Quia vidisti me, Thoma

19 Apr – Easter III

Motet – Haec dies à 6

26 Apr – Good Shepherd Sunday

Offertory – Angelus Domini

†

3 May – Easter V / Remembering Neveah Tucker

Offertory – Exaudi Domine

10 May – Easter VI / Mother’s Day

Motet – Lauda mater ecclesiae

17 May – Ascension Sunday

Hymn – Ad coenam agni providi; Offertory – Ascendit Deus

Sun 24 May – Pentecost Sunday

Hymn – Veni Creator Spiritus
Motet – Loquebantur variis linguis

Sun 31 May – Trinity Sunday

Hymn – O lux beata Trinitas
Motet – O beata et benedicta et gloriosa Trinitas

For further information, contact Director of Music Christopher Dawes, music@rpcc.ca.