Le Jeune Missa Ad Placitum

Le Jeune: Missa Ad Placitum, etc.
Choir of New College Oxford - Edward Higginbottom
Hyperion 66387

Contents:

    Magnificat
  1. Titelouze: Magnificat anima mea (organ)
  2. Et exultavit
  3. Titelouze: Quia respexit (organ)
  4. Quia fecit
  5. Titelouze: Et misericordia elus (organ)
  6. Fecit potentiam
  7. Titelouze: Deposuit potentes (organ)
  8. Esurientes implevit
  9. Titelouze: Suscepit Israel (organ)
  10. Sicut locutus est
  11. Titelouze: Gloria Patri (organ)
  12. Sicut erat
  13. Benedicite Dominum

  14. Missa Ad Placitum
  15. Kyrie eleison
  16. Gloria in excelsis Deo
  17. Credo in unum Deum
  18. Racquet: Offertorium - Fantasie (organ)
  19. Sanctus
  20. Benedictus
  21. Agnus Dei

Performers: Trebles: Oliver Johnston, Lewis Wilson, Thomas Carey, Howard Ferguson, Christopher Neale, Jerome Finnis, Jonathan Belcher, Benedict Rowe, Guy Head, Timothy Bowles, Alexander Hunt; Altos: William Missin, Jeremy Burrows, Roger Barron, Geoffrey Cryer; Tenors: Philip Cave, Toby Spence, Justin Lee, Mark Anderson; Basses: Colin Gordon, John Bernays, Paul Grier, Tim West, Robert Hollingworth

Playing time: 68'

Recording date: July 1989

Le Jeune's Mass is composed "freely," i.e. without a unifying theme; it is one of the most contrapuntally complex masses of the period. Clear reasons for the Protestant Le Jeune writing a mass are unknown, but basic speculation is that he wanted to contribute to this musical tradition.

The polyphony is sung by a large choir of men and boys; the performance is emotional and relatively clear (given the bulk of such an ensemble).

The Magnificat performance alternates Le Jeune's polyphony with the organ verses written by Jehan Titelouze (c.1563-1633); the mass includes an offertory movement by the obscure organ composer Charles Racquet.

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Todd M. McComb