Giosquino. Josquin Desprez in Italia
/ Odhecaton, The Gesualdo Six
with the participation of La Reverdie, La Pifarescha
[11.8.2021]
medieval.org |
outhere-music.com |
prestomusic.com
Arcana 489
Recorded: October 2020
Released: August 2021
Praeter rerum seriem (7:11) Odhecaton / The Gesualdo Six
1. I. Prima pars [3:35]
2. II. Secunda pars [3:36]
Missa Hercules dux Ferrariae | Odhecaton
3. I. Kyrie [2:59]
4. II. Gloria [4:26]
5. III. Credo [7:39]
Tu solus qui facis mirabilia (5:00) Odhecaton
6. I. Prima pars [3:05]
7. II. Secunda pars [1:55]
Missa Hercules dux Ferrariae
8. IV. Sanctus [6:30] Odhecaton
9. V. Agnus Dei [7:32] Odhecaton, The Gesualdo Six, La Pifarescha
10. Fortuna d’un gran tempo [1:26] La Reverdie
Virgo prudentissima (7:26) Odhecaton, The Gesualdo Six
11. I. Prima pars [3:56]
12. II. Secunda pars [3:30]
13. Inviolata, integra et casta [6:15] Odhecaton
14. La Bernardina [1:22] La Pifarescha
15. Salve Regina [7:49] Odhecaton, The Gesualdo Six
Huc Me Sydereo (7:44) Odhecaton
16. I. Prima pars [4:43]
17. II. Secunda pars [3:01]
18. Inviolata, integra et casta [3:47] Odhecaton, The Gesualdo Six, La Pifarescha
During the sixteenth century in Italy, the motto ‘i galli
cantano’ (the Gauls are singing) circulated, acknowledging the
supremacy of the Franco-Flemish ‘transalpine’ musicians who
were summoned to the peninsula to serve princes and prelates in the
techniques of composing and performing vocal polyphony. Josquin
Desprez, ‘Giosquino’ to the Italians, was the emblematic
figure: in addition to France, he was in the service of Cardinal
Ascanio Sforza in both Milan and Rome (1484, 1498) and of the papal
(1489-95) and Este chapels (1503-4). On the fifth centenary of the
composer’s death (1521), the Odhecaton ensemble proposes to
retrace Josquin’s Italian itinerary with the Missa Hercules dux
Ferrariæ, composed for the Duke of Ferrara Ercole I d’Este,
and a selection of motets commissioned by Italian patrons. The
contribution of The Gesualdo Six in the more solemn pieces brings the
vocal ensemble to twentytwo singers, a number that is close to the
forces of the Rome and Ferrara chapels and yields new sonic results in
our quest to recreate how polyphony sounded in the fifteenth and early
sixteenth centuries.
— outhere-music.com
[11.8.2021]
[17.9.2021]
medieval.org Remarks
http://www.medieval.org/emfaq/cds/remarks.html
10 September 2021
Todd M. McComb
———
And
it seems that there will be another burst of Josquin releases later in
the year (& perhaps more being made during the year?), the latest
being that from Paolo Da Col & Odhecaton:
Da Col hasn't recorded often, but his general confrontation with this
material goes back at least to the 1990s, i.e. first (?) with the Gombert Coronation Mass program,
including a Josquin motet, but also commencing the usual mood of
solemnity & grandeur that animates Odhecaton interpretations. (And
Da Col had already moved from more obscure labels onto Outhere by
reissuing his big Compère production,
likewise in the mode of spectacle....)
There's also the addition of
other ensembles, both to boost the sound in a few moments, and to play
a couple of short instrumental tracks. The "main" piece, though, is the Missa Hercules Dux Ferrariae —
seemingly an extroverted, "natural" choice for Odhecaton — taken
mostly by the 15-voice male choir, until adding additional groups for a
massive & climactic ending. However, the decision to interpolate Tu solus into
the mass doesn't work for me (& seems to be a bizarre choice), and
with other, more detailed accounts available, the Odhecaton reading
ends up seeming on the muddy side. There's still no "go to" reference
for the motets, though, and so some of the large-ensemble offerings
here immediately become among the best options: Both Praeter rerum seriem & O virgo prudentissima add
voices (beyond the base 15), and while the promised potency of the
former, opening the album, doesn't quite come to fruition for me, it
sets a rumbling stage for those that follow, i.e. mostly motets
associated with Ferrara.
O virgo prudentissima is gorgeous (using the "big group" to fine effect...), and Inviolata, integra et casta is
a potent reading as well — although the program notes say nothing
about the (relatively unsophisticated) 12-part adaptation that
concludes the program.
There's also an obvious comparison to be made
with the Cantica Symphonia album,
starting with its shared Italian orientation — where Odhecaton
does focus much more on music actually by Josquin (while Maletto et al.
largely dismissed that topic!) — but also including various
performers in common (as well as with the new Zacara set).
In that sense, the program makes more sense (& includes better
music overall), although it's perhaps less lively per se. (And also per
the Zacara comments, some of these Josquin pieces do suggest a "new
kind of propaganda" too. Is that what formal innovation means?) In any
case, while not as detailed as some productions, Odhecaton's Giosquino album
ends up involving a strongly affective overall sweep, with various
aspects of large-scale momentum handled with both grace & potency,
including via the orchestration of the program as a whole.
[17.9.2021]