A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Palotta, Matteo

PALOTTA, Matteo, called Il Panormitano, from his birthplace Palermo, studied in the Conservatorio San Onofrio at Naples, apparently at the same time as Pergolesi. On his return to Palermo he passed the necessary examinations, and was ordained secular priest. He then devoted himself with great ardour to studies in part-writing and counterpoint, and produced a valuable work 'Gregoriani cantus enucleata praxis et cognitio' being a treatise on Guido d'Arezzo's Solmisation, and an instruction-book in the church-tones. It has been supposed that the Emperor Charles VI invited Palotta to Vienna as Capellmeister, but Palotta himself applied to the Emperor in 1733, asking for the post of Composer of a cappella music. The then Court-capellmeister warmly recommended him, and he was appointed one of the court-composers with a salary of 400 florins on Feb. 35, 1733, was dismissed in 1741, and reinstated in 1749. He died in Vienna on March 28, 1758, aged 70. The libraries of the Court-chapel and the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde possess a number of his masses in 4 to 8 parts, motets, etc., all written in a pure and elevated church style, the parts moving easily and naturally in spite of their elaborate counterpoint. In many points they recall Caldara. One special feature in Palotta's music is the free development of the chief subject, and the skilful way in which he combines it with the counter-subjects.

[ C. F. P. ]