Donemus Webwinkel — Palladius, David

David Palladius was a German composer of the late Renaissance who flourished in the last quarter of the 16th century. Very little is known about his youth. He may have been a pupil of Gallus Dressler who was Kantor (choirmaster) of the Latin School in Magdeburg. Palladius himself was Kantor of the Martineum in Braunschweig (Brunswick, D) from 1572-1599. In this position he was responsible for the music at the church of St. Martin.
From 1605-1625 there was a David Palladius Kantor at Stade (D). The scholars are not sure if this was the same Palladius.
Some works of his hand have survived the ages: motets and psalms. He wrote also on music in general, e.g. Isagoge Musicæ (Helmsteds, 1588). His principal work however was Nuptiales Cantiones, quattuor, quinque, sex et septem vocibus compositæ a Davide Palladio Parthenopolitano, Scholæ Brunsuvicensis ad D. Martinum Cantore.
David Palladius was a composer of the Orlando di Lasso school. Compared to earlier composers of humanist odes Palladius loosened the musical fabric: instead of having all the voices declaim the text homophonically, he added counterpoints, set one group of voices against another, inserted polyphonic sections and created lively rhythms by means of syncopation.
Cees Wagemakers, 2019