Johannes OCKEGHEM. Missa Prolationum —
L'ultima parola
[5.3.2021]
asinamusic.com |
medieval.org
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Raum Klang 3902
Release: 2021
Recording: 2019
[49:12]
Johannes OCKEGHEM (ca. 1420-97)
MISSA PROLATIONUM
1. Kyrie I [1:15]
2. Christe [1:19]
3. Kyrie II [1:24]
4. Gloria [7:56]
5. Credo [8:51]
6. Sanctus [7:36]
7. Agnus Dei I [2:11]
8. Agnus Dei II [1:54]
9. Agnus Dei III [3:08]
10. Mort tu as navré [13:31]
L'ultima parola
Axelle Bernage – cantus
Bernd Oliver Fröhlich – tenor altus
Olivier Coiffet – tenor
Guillaume Olry – bassus
[5.3.2021]
medieval.org Remarks
http://www.medieval.org/emfaq/cds/remarks.html
5 April 2021
Todd M. McComb
———
And it's not as long as many releases in this field, but the new Ockeghem album by
the new vocal quartet "L'ultima parola" made an instant impression:
This is just a great recording of great music & was promptly added
to my personal list.
(There's been a delay in writing this discussion only because I was
waiting for the physical CD to arrive from Germany, so that I could
read the booklet... which doesn't really discuss the performance much
anyway. Actually, the essay on Ockeghem sounds similar to things I was
writing in the 1990s, so that's a little eerie....)
Obviously I hope
this group continues to record more music from the 15th century (as
appears to be their focus), and I mostly have raves. If I'm to be
critical, as noted in the linked discussion, having a woman sing the
top line isn't historical, but everything works so well here, it
doesn't seem like an issue. What else? I think my biggest gripe is
actually the way the booklet falls right out of the digipak... this is
something we can't get right in 2021? (Packaging generally remains a
disaster in all areas of life, but I digress....)
There's also an issue
of interpretive slowness, which suggests clichés of respect, but
these four singers hold their tone so well, there aren't musical issues
with it.... Their clarity is great in general. And the polish is
amazing for a first album! This is a great example of 15th century
vocal virtuosity in general, not to mention such great music from a
more technical perspective — and sung basically without
compromises.
As
far as Josquin anniversary releases, these are already in a lull it
seems, but I certainly do expect (or hope for...) more at some point....
http://www.medieval.org/music/early/cdc/rau3902.html
In
some ways, I don't have a lot to say about this release: The music is
centered on one of the long acknowledged great works of its era, and
the performance sets new standards for clarity in all areas. Maybe this
is the start of a new era of recordings of music from this period,
where everything just seems right? (I don't want to be unfair to
previous musicians, but there's been a lot of progress on performing
this music. And it doesn't seem so long ago that I was forced —
well, that or nothing! — to hail various highly compromised
interpretations....)
Regarding the music, entirely in canon, the Missa Prolationum is
clearly one of Ockeghem's central mass cycles. And although it might
seem formalistic, it's the supple writing of the two musical lines
(doubled differently by canons in each movement) that create its magic,
as the affective (ritual) quality of the piece remains remarkably high
— especially in this fine (& rather austere) reading. And Mort tu as navré is one of Ockeghem's great works as well, albeit already possessing other quality interpretations on record....
The Missa Prolationum has
been recorded many times too, but this rendition definitely sets new
standards. As noted, everything is very clear: Phrasing & diction
are crisp, voices are audible individually but also add into a potent
blend, tuning is precise & idiomatic, sonorities are pleasing....
Even the recorded sound quality is very clear (which I wouldn't
normally emphasize, given that this is a 21st century recording, but as
noted in these spaces of late, there still seem to be issues regarding
how much resonance or direct presence to maintain, and getting the
balance right has apparently proven tricky for some otherwise fine
interpretations...). Moreover, the parts are apparently sung at written
pitch (as hasn't been typical), and this improves the coherence of the
music considerably. It's difficult music to sing, but instead of
compromising via transposition, L'ultima parola went out there &
did it. (What has taken so long to get to this result? Quite simply,
it's the combination of building the historical-conceptual knowledge
incrementally & also of training singers who can physically sing
the music idiomatically! These two factors enrich each other, or else
one might say, sometimes have to wait for the other to catch up....)
As
far as criticisms? Compared to what's available, I don't find any
compromises here, in terms of my own preferences. However, if I'm to
mention possible issues, of course there's a woman singing (as one of
the four, individual parts) — she sounds good, but it's not
authentic (& pace the comments above, I'll underline that actually
being able to sing the piece is an easy preference for me!). And then
their pace is generally rather slow, especially in the memorial motet:
I actually like it (& it's not easier), but prior studies have
argued that going more slowly indicates a "reverential" approach to
historical music that likewise isn't prompted by its era. (The
performers don't address this in the program notes, so perhaps they
have a tangible reason....)
A very easy album to recommend!
Todd M. McComb
[9.4.2021]