Giovanni Palestrina was a composer of sacred music. He trained at the Cathedral of Palestrina and at Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, then was appointed the music director to the Julian Chapel in Rome in 1551. Pope Julius III made him a member of the Papal chapel in 1555, but he was removed from the post by Julian's successor, Paul IV. Palestrina wrote more than 100 masses and other works like motets, hymns, lamentations and magnificats. Motets were sacred forms of music sung in Latin, usually for four to six voices. A magnificat is the song of the Virgin Mary, usually sung at Vespers in the Roman Catholic Church. Palestrina also wrote madrigals. He died in 1594.
Costanzo Festa, possibly born in Rome around 1490, was a singer in the Papal Chapel from 1517. A prolific composer, he wrote many madrigals, as well as motets, vesper hymns, magnificats and at least two masses. He died in Rome in 1545.
Luca Marenzio was one of the greatest of the Italian madrigalists. He served under several Italian princes and church officials, as well as King Sigismund III of Poland. His madrigals are noted for their sharp and evocative poetic imagery. He also wrote many books of motets and other sacred music. He was born in Coccaglio, Italy in 1553 and died in Rome in 1599.
Don Carlo Gesualdo was a Prince of Venosa, born in Naples around 1560 -- he died in the same city in 1613. He was a performer of the archlute and the friend of the poet Tasso, and wrote passionate madrigals that featured brilliant chromatic progressions. He also wrote at least two volumes of motets and at least one volume of responsories. Responsories are songs that feature an alternation between the soloist and the choir or the congregation, in a sort of call and response.
Andrea Gabrieli was born in Venice around 1520 and became the second organist at St. Mark's in Venice in 1565, and the first organist in 1585. He was both a performer, a teacher and a prolific composer. He wrote masses, motets, psalms and madrigals, instrumental music like canzonas, a style like a madrigal but simpler, and sonatas. His madrigals are considered the height of the Italian form. Giovanni Gabriel was Andrea's nephew and pupil, and though he too became second organist at St. Mark's, he was better known for his works for two or more choruses. He also wrote madrigals and sacred music.