Palestrina - Prince of Music
Palestrina - Prince of Music is an Italian/German 2009 music film directed by Georg Brintrup. The subject is the life and music of Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (ca.1525-1594), famous Italian Renaissance composer of sacred music. He is the best-known 16th-century composer of the Roman School. Filmed in March 2009 on locations mainly in and around L'Aquila and Rome, most of the ancient buildings and historical interiors in the city of L'Aquila were destroyed by the 2009 L'Aquila earthquake, only a few days after the end of shooting. Palestrina’s music in the film is directed by Flavio Colusso and the Roman Ensemble Seicentonovecento. The film was also titled The Liberation of Music or Die Befreiung der Musik when released in Germany.
Agapitus of Palestrina
Saint Agapitus is mentioned in the ancient martyrologies, including the Martyrologium Hieronymianum of Saint Jerome, the Fulda Martyrology. On account of the doubtful historicity of the legend of his martyrdom, some details of which were related in earlier editions of the Roman Martyrology, editions from the end of the 20th century onward give only: "In Palestrina, Lazio, Saint Agapitus, martyr." Around the 5th century, Pope Felix III built a basilica in his honour on the supposed site of his martyrdom. His relics were kept in the basilica, and a cemetery grew around it. At some uncertain date, his relics were transferred to the present cathedral of Palestrina. Some of them were transferred to Besançon.