Notes and Editorial Reviews
IMPERIAL COMPOSERS OF CHARLES V AND PHILIP II
•
Peter Phillips, dir; Musica Reservata de Barcelona
•
LA MÀ DE GUIDO LMG 2092 (62:51
Text and Translation)
Music of
CABEZÓN, GOMBERT, JOSQUIN, MORALES, CRECQUILLON, FERNANDO DE LAS INFANTES, MANCHICOURT, ROGIER, COTES
I used to receive discs from this label some years ago, but this is the first time I recall finding one distributed in this country. The adventurous label
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with the evocative name (“Guido’s hand,” referring to Guido d’Arezzo’s method of teaching singers the mutation from one hexachord to another in the gamut) focuses on the music of Spain’s Golden Age. Since we have had many discs devoted to one of these rulers or the other, there will be duplications here. Three Mass movements by different composers are included, the most interesting being the Sanctus from the
Missa Philippus Secundus
of Philippe Rogier, the last of the Flemish masters at his court (the organ accompanies the singers in this movement). Two other movements of this Mass were recorded on another disc honoring the king’s anniversary (
Fanfare
23:2). The Kyrie comes from Gombert’s
Missa sur Tous regretz
, recorded complete on a disc for Charles’s coronation (23:1). The Kyrie is from Morales’s
Missa Mille regretz
, recorded complete most recently by Paul McCreesh (33:5). Manchicourt’s
Regina caeli
has been recorded most recently by Stephen Rice (31:2). Fernando’s
Parce mihi Domine
was recorded by Alistair Dixon (29:1) in a program dedicated to Charles V. Crecquillon’s
Carole magnus erat
is on another disc for Charles (23: 6). The concluding
Mortuus est Philippus Rex
by Ambrosio Cotes filled out two recordings of Escobedo’s Mass for the king that were made within months of his anniversary (22:4), not to mention a third one on this very label. Rogier’s
Laudate Dominum
is on O’Donnell’s disc with Cotes, while Gombert’s
Dicite in magni
is on Raisin Dadre’s disc with Cotes. Josquin’s
Mille regretz
, a favorite of Charles, is the most familiar track.
So while most of this program duplicates previous issues, none of the pieces are common. The rest of the program consists mostly of instrumental pieces, the one remaining unrecorded choral work being Morales’s
Antequam comedam suspiro
, an unfamiliar text that inspired the composer. The entire program is sung with lively vigor. The interpretive influence of Peter Phillips is quite evident. He has made at least one previous disc with this ensemble (29:6), which clearly responds to his leadership. Their numbers (eight singers) match Phillips’s regular group. As the notes point out, the program begins with the birth of Charles’s son and ends with Philip’s death, the two rulers spanning the century proudly dubbed the
Siglo de Oro
. In its selection and execution, this is a worthy program that fulfills the promise implied in its title.
FANFARE: J. F. Weber
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Works on This Recording
1.
Tiento IX del quinto tono, for keyboard by Antonio De Cabezón
Conductor:
Peter Phillips
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Musica Reservata de Barcelona
Period: Renaissance
Venue: Capella de la Mare de Déu de l'Esperança
Length: 1 Minutes 46 Secs.
2.
Dicite in magni, for chamber ensemble by Nicolas Gombert
Conductor:
Peter Phillips
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Musica Reservata de Barcelona
Period: Renaissance
Written: 1527
Venue: Capella de la Mare de Déu de l'Esperança
Length: 3 Minutes 27 Secs.
3.
Læta dies terris by Nicolas Gombert
Conductor:
Peter Phillips
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Musica Reservata de Barcelona
Venue: Capella de la Mare de Déu de l'Esperança
Length: 3 Minutes 56 Secs.
4.
Mille regretz by Josquin Des Préz
Conductor:
Peter Phillips
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Musica Reservata de Barcelona
Venue: Capella de la Mare de Déu de l'Esperança
Length: 1 Minutes 49 Secs.
5.
Misa Mille regretz: Kyrie by Cristóbal de Morales
Conductor:
Peter Phillips
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Musica Reservata de Barcelona
Period: Renaissance
Written: circa 1544
Venue: Capella de la Mare de Déu de l'Esperança
Length: 4 Minutes 22 Secs.
6.
Misa sur tous regretz: Gloria by Nicolas Gombert
Conductor:
Peter Phillips
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Musica Reservata de Barcelona
Period: Renaissance
Venue: Capella de la Mare de Déu de l'Esperança
Length: 6 Minutes 2 Secs.
7.
Antequam comedam suspiro by Cristóbal de Morales
Conductor:
Peter Phillips
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Musica Reservata de Barcelona
Venue: Capella de la Mare de Déu de l'Esperança
Length: 5 Minutes 36 Secs.
8.
Carole, magnus erat à 5 by Thomas Crecquillon
Conductor:
Peter Phillips
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Musica Reservata de Barcelona
Period: Renaissance
Venue: Capella de la Mare de Déu de l'Esperança
Length: 4 Minutes 49 Secs.
9.
Parce mihi Domine by Fernando de las Infantas
Conductor:
Peter Phillips
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Musica Reservata de Barcelona
Period: Renaissance
Venue: Capella de la Mare de Déu de l'Esperança
Length: 7 Minutes 17 Secs.
10.
Regina coli, motet for 6 voices by Pierre De Manchicourt
Conductor:
Peter Phillips
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Musica Reservata de Barcelona
Period: Renaissance
Written: France
Venue: Capella de la Mare de Déu de l'Esperança
Length: 4 Minutes 28 Secs.
11.
Dulce memoria de Pierre Sandrin by Hernando de Cabezón
Conductor:
Peter Phillips
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Musica Reservata de Barcelona
Venue: Capella de la Mare de Déu de l'Esperança
Length: 3 Minutes 33 Secs.
12.
Laudate Dominum by Philippe Rogier
Conductor:
Peter Phillips
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Musica Reservata de Barcelona
Period: Renaissance
Written: 16th Century; Spain
Venue: Capella de la Mare de Déu de l'Esperança
Length: 3 Minutes 21 Secs.
13.
Misa Philippus Secundus Rex Hispaniæ: Sanctus by Philippe Rogier
Conductor:
Peter Phillips
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Musica Reservata de Barcelona
Venue: Capella de la Mare de Déu de l'Esperança
Length: 5 Minutes 9 Secs.
14.
Mortuus est Philippus Rex., motet for 7 voices by Ambrosio Cotes
Conductor:
Peter Phillips
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Musica Reservata de Barcelona
Period: Renaissance
Venue: Capella de la Mare de Déu de l'Esperança
Length: 4 Minutes 35 Secs.
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