palestrina composed his music after michelangelo had finished >> spyropolous: palestrina was writinga, it's not like looking at a fresco; it's the equivalent of ♪ ♪ ( "credo" from palestrina's "papae marcelli" ) >> rose: the troe by hardening the workload. the choir went from rehearsing three hours a week to three hours a day. yo tough. >> palombella ( translated ): that's exactly right. of excellence, how far along are you on your journey? >> palombella: circa a ta you sound like an american sports coach. >> catarci: a choir is a very, very terrifying beast because if you are not able to handle it, it goes away. it runs away. >> stoch: this not safari. this is more dangerous. >> catared to u ferrari, but you have to drive ferrari to do dressage like, you know, liku know, very light dressage. dressage, not vroom! ♪ >> rose: at rehean concert, palombella conducts th. the maestro was born on christmas day, but, with his choir, he's not always in a holiday mood. >> palombella: blah, blah, blahe cbe jting. and when he's not happy, lorenzo? >> malizia ( translated ): eh, eh, he has moment

he studied endlessly, looking for the precise vocal range that palestrina originally intended when hehapel in mind after michelangelo had finished painting his masterpiece. >> spyropolous: palestrina was writing when the paint was still wet of these incredible frescoes. and when we sing palestrina, it's not like looking at a fresco; it's the equivalent of being in a fresco. ♪ ♪ ( "credo" from palestrina's "papae marcelli" ) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> rose: maestro palombella also softened the tone by hardening the workload. the choir went from rehearsing three hours a week to three hours a day. so, you have to be a perfectionist? tough. >> palombella ( translated ): that's exactly right. >> rose: if you are on a journey of excellence, how far along are you on your journey? >> palombella: circa a meta. >> rose: halfway. you sound like an american sports coach. >> catarci: a choir is a very, very terrifying beast because if you are not able to handle it, it goes away. it runs away. >> stoch: this not safari. this is more dangerous. >> catarci: you have to handle the choir. we were compared to a ferrari

and when we sing palestrina, it's not like looking at a co being in a fresco. ♪ ♪ ( "credo" from palestrina'so softened the tone by hardening the workload. the choir went from rehearsing three hours a week to three hours a day. so, you have to be a perfectionist? tough. >> palombella ( translated ): that's exactly right. >> rose: if you are on a journey of excellence, how far along are you on your journey? >> palombella: circa a meta. >> rose: halfway. you sound like an american sports coach. >> catarci: a choir is a very, very terrifying beast because if you are not able to handle it, it goes away. it runs away. >> stoch: this n >> catarci: you have to handle the choir. we were compared to a ferrari, but you have to drive ferrari to do dressage like, you know, like the horses. just little bend, little, you know, very light dressage. dressage, not vroom! ♪ ♪ >> rose: at rehearsal and in concert, pombella conducts the cho