The Missa Papae Marcelli by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina is a crossroads of historical and musical doubts and paradoxes. After all, legends such as these are always nourished first in the shadows of history, in the ambiguous folds of testimonies; enigma is the birthplace of creative fantasy, spurring the collective imagination in its constant aspiration to embody mythical forms. Palestrina himself was probably the first to consciously set the stage for the creation of the myth which would surround him and his work. Already with his earliest publication, the Liber primus missarum of 1554, the entire enterprise seemed fueled by a desire for majesty and success, from the large format of the volume to the meticulously prepared graphics, from the dedication to a great ecclesiastical personage (Pope Julius III) to - last but not least - the musical contents: Masses of contrapuntal and formal perfection, exemplifying a masterful use of all the important compositional techniques of the time. Marco Della Sciucca, from the liner notes Some of the best Italian male voices, specialists in the performance of Renaissance and Baroque music, sing in Odhecaton under the direction of Paolo Da Col. Since its beginning in 1998, Odhecaton has been the recipient of some of the most prestigious discographic awards: "De Passione" (Josquin Desprez) was awarded the Diapason d'Or of the Year 2003, while the more recent "O gente brunette" (Ramee) took the Diapason d'Or of February 2010 ?A landmark recording. Odhectaton is making their debut on Arcana with the Missa Papae Marcelli of Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, a recording sure to become a point of reference for this sacred masterwork. ?How and where. For the first time in recording history, Odhecaton has recreated as much as possible a hypothetical performance by the pontifical chapel at the time of Pope Marcellus II. ? Performance forces. With an ensemble of about twenty singers, Odhecaton comes close to the formation of the pontifical chapel which, between 1510 and 1585, numbered between twenty and thirty-six singers. ? Only men allowed. Odhecaton excludes soprano and treble voices, extraneous to the pontifical chapel in the second half of the sixteenth century, and employs only adult male voices: basses, baritones, tenors and countertenors. ? Palestrina made in Italy. Until now the discography of the Missa Papae Marcelli has been dominated by British ensembles and choirs, inclined to emphasize the balanced purity of the vocal lines, the ethereal side of Palestrina. Odhecaton instead highlights the Mediterranean qualities of his vocal style. ? The liturgical context. The performance places the Missa Papae Marcelli in a liturgical context which emphasizes its original function, reconstructing a hypothetical liturgy (the Easter Mass) with music as it might have been celebrated at the Sistine Chapel.