Tinctoris: Masses

Tinctoris: Missa L'homme armé / Missa Sine nomine
The Clerks' Group - Edward Wickham
Cyprès "Musique en Wallonie" 3608

This music is welcome on record, and features some interesting counterpoint. The polyphonic lines are especially clear in delivery & development, with an open texture which does not become heavy. This is graceful writing, but not "great" writing in terms of capturing the control of forward momentum by Dufay, Ockeghem and others. The 3-voice mass is particularly appealing, presenting something of a summary of that style.

The performance was something of a landmark for the Clerks' Group, with fine articulation and clearly conceived lines. If anything, the rather more forceful style they use here would be welcome in some other subsequent issues.

This continues to be a fairly unique program.

To renaissance sacred list

Todd M. McComb