Jean de Castro: Polyphony in a European Perspective

Jean de Castro: Polyphony in a European Perspective
Capilla Flamenca / More Maiorum / Piffaro / Trigon-Project / Wim Diepenhorst - Bart Demuyt
Passacaille 931

Contents:

    Part I

  1. Chant: Lumen ad revelationem gentium
  2. Ave maris stella (organ)
  3. Chant: Ave maris stella
  4. Ave maris stella (organ)
  5. Alexander Utendal (c.1545-1581): Mors tua, mors Christi (motet a 6)
  6. Willaert: Ricercar primo toni (organ)
  7. Caro mea vere cibus (motet a 5)
  8. Part II

  9. Vita de la mia vita (madrigal a 4)
  10. Lassus: La cortesia (alta capella)
  11. Si le ciel (chanson)
  12. Qui dulci semper (motet; soprano & harpsichord)
  13. Qui dulci semper (alta capella)
  14. Lassus: Dessus le marché d'Arras (chanson)
  15. Anchor che col partire (3 part arrangement after Rore)
  16. Anchor che col paritre (harpsichord)
  17. Wert: Nunca mucho costo poco (alta capella)
  18. La Parque avait desjà (chanson a 6)
  19. Stirpis Ioannes Fiescorum (motet a 5)

Performers: Margot Kalse (soprano, director: Trigon-Project), Jos Somsen (soprano), Penny Turner (soprano), Idiko Hajnal (soprano), Midori Suzuki (soprano), Ayumi Aoki (soprano), Annelies Coene (soprano), Patrizia Hardt (solo soprano), Els Spanhove (soprano); Wim Diepenhorst (organ); Bart Demuyt (director: Capilla Flamenca, artistic director: De Castro project), Hedvig Eriksson (solo soprano), Marnix De Cat (countertenor), Stratton Bull (countertenor), Jan Van Elsacker (solo tenor), Christopher Kale (tenor), Lieven Termont (solo baritone), Jasper Schweppe (baritone), Paul Mertens (bass), Dirk Snellings (bass, artistic director: Capilla Flamenca); Joan Kimball (shawm, director: Piffaro), Robert Wiemken (dulcian, director: Piffaro), Adam Gilbert (shawm), Rotem Gilbert (shawm), Tom Zajac (sackbut); Peter Van Heyghen (recorder, director: More Maiorum), Anette Sichelschmidt (violins), Simen Van Mechelen (sackbut), Paulina Van Laarhoven (viols), Michèle Vandenbroucque (dulcian), Jan Van Outryve (lute), Kris Verhelst (harpsichord)

Playing time: 59'

Recording date: February, 2000 (Leuven)

This is the definitive recording, in some sense, of music by Jean de Castro (c.1540-c.1600), released in conjunction with a ground-breaking complete edition of his work. Part of the idea is to provide perspective on his work by including related music from other sources. Unattributed items are by de Castro.

Castro was of the last generation of great Renaissance polyphonists, and has a career outline closely resembling Lassus'. He was probably the second most prominent polyphonist from the Low Countries, former headquarters of European polyphonic development, after Lassus. Later, political problems forced him to leave and take up posts in France and then Germany.

Among his large and varied output, his most stimulating work includes 3-part arrangements of works for larger forces by other composers of the era.

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Todd M. McComb