Born in Italy in the 16th century, Palestrina ranks with Lassus and Byrd as one of the most important figures in the music of this time. Though conservative in style, he was one of the first composers to bring together the influences of Italian, French and Flemish music. His output was prolific, and among his sacred works are 104 Masses, 375 Motets and 35 Magnificats. In his Missa L’homme armé Palestrina makes use of a fifteenth-century secular song of the same name as a cantus firmus for polyphonic elaboration. This performance of the Mass, with its interpolation of organ ricercari by Girolamo Cavazzoni, seek to restore earlier performance traditions.