Escobar: Requiem

Pedro de Escobar: Requiem
Ensemble Gilles Binchois - Dominique Vellard, dir.
Virgin Veritas 45328

Contents:

  1. Introitus
  2. Kyrie
  3. Graduale
  4. Tractus
  5. Offertorium
  6. Praefatio
  7. Sanctus
  8. Pater noster
  9. Agnus Dei
  10. Communio
  11. Peñalosa: Adoro te, Domine Jesu Christe
  12. Absolutio
  13. Absolve, Domine
  14. Juan de Anchieta: Libera me, Domine
  15. Peñalosa: Inter vestibulum

Ensemble Gilles Binchois

Akira Tachikawa (countertenor), Carlos Mena (countertenor), Eric Tremolières (tenor), Christophe Einhorn (tenor), Hervé Lamy (tenor), Dominique Vellard (tenor), Philippe Balloy (bass), Jacques Bona (bass)

Playing time: 58'

Recording site and date:
Abbaye de Saint-Michel en Thièrache, France [09/1997];
Rel.: 1988

Excerpts:
[5], [15] EMI Classics 0946 3 61524 2 4 Music of the Renaissance: The Da Vinci Collection

Nathan Wilkes

Although he has not been widely recorded, the Portuguese composer active in Spain, Pedro de Escobar (c.1465-c.1535), has long been considered one of the most important Iberian musicians of the generation of Josquin. His output is typical of the time, including several mass cycles, some other mass movements, a collection of motets and hymns, a series of villancicos, and especially the present Requiem.

Escobar's 4-part Requiem is the earliest known by an Iberian composer, leading directly to the important series of settings by Vásquez, Morales, Victoria and others. However, these settings frequently use differing texts. The present service is completed with plainchant from Iberian sources of the period.

Another recording devoted to Escobar by a related ensemble:

Escobar: Missa in Granada, 1520
Ensemble Cantus Figuratus - Dominique Vellard
Christophorus 77263

Another recording of the present major work:

Escobar: Motets, Hymnes, Missa pro defunctis
Ensemble Quodlibet
CRD 3450

A recording of more old-fashioned Spanish music from this period by the present ensemble:

El Misteri d'Elx
Drame sacrée en deux parties pour la Fête de l'Assomption de la Vierge
Ensemble Gilles Binchois - Dominique Vellard
Virgin Veritas 45239 (2 CDs)

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Todd M. McComb