As far as the quantity & quality of its motet program, this is probably the most significant of the Anniversary releases. Even so, there's a (conscious & intentional, apparently) mixture of different sorts of items, including some great works, some more questionable works, and some minor pieces. (In particular, the final two mass-related items are of limited value, but then, shouldn't we also be seeking a complete Josquin edition in recorded form?)
The program thus functions as something of an anthology, more so than as an album for me. But some of the pieces are indeed among Josquin's greatest, and even ignoring some items, the program is still substantial. So I feel as though there's too much music here to miss.
The performance is also more distant than I tend to prefer, but this group performs 16th century music extensively, and generally proceeds with good clarity. (Their La Rue album has thus already been of value here.) There's a kind of lightness & pastel coloring too, such that I start thinking of the image of stained glass windows.... There's consequently a sort of "angelic" quality here, perhaps, that I don't always appreciate. Still, the precision is excellent, with clear articulation — in spite of the distant feel. There's a sort of understated quality, generating (relatively passive...?) ongoing appeal.
Todd M. McComb Updated: 26 January 2022