It had next to receive the approval of the Pope, who heard it on June 19.

On this occasion, if the Court Chronicle be correct, Pius made a pretty speech, declaring that 'of such nature must have been the harmonies of the new song heard by John the Apostle in the heavenly Jerusalem, and that another John had given us a taste of them in the Jerusalem of the Church Militant.' He seems, indeed, to have been convinced that the main problem of preserving clearness of enunciation in the uttered words had been solved, and that there was now no reason to deprive the faithful of the artistic and devotional value of melodious music.

He consequently appointed Palestrina to the post of composer for the Papal Chapel, and created a monopoly for the performance of his works.

This measure, which roused considerable jealousy among musicians at the moment, had the salutary effect of rendering the new style permanent in usage.
Of Palestrina's voluminous compositions this is not the place to speak.
It is enough to have indicated the decisive part which he took in the reformation of Church music at a moment when its very existence was imperiled, and to have described the principles upon which he laid down new laws for the art.

I must not, however, omit to dwell upon his subsequent connection with S.Filippo Neri, since the music he composed for the Oratory of that saint contributed much toward the creation of a semi-lyrical and semi-dramatic style to which we may refer the origins of the modern Oratorio.