Messes de Barcelone et d’Apt
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Composer or Director: Anonymous
Genre:
Vocal
Label: Evidence Classics
Magazine Review Date: 09/2019
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 64
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: EVCD060
Tracks:
Composition | Artist Credit |
---|---|
Messe d’Apt |
Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous, Composer Dominique Vellard, Conductor Ensemble Gilles Binchois |
Messe de Barcelone |
Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous, Composer Dominique Vellard, Conductor Ensemble Gilles Binchois |
Author: Edward Breen
Compared with a relatively recent performance by Capella de Ministrers under Carles Magraner (CdM, 8/15), this is a conservative but sensitive offering. The Gloria has a nicely varied texture with surprisingly mellifluous tropes given over to countertenor and vielles. The Credo is performed with alternating groups of lower voices, emphasising the gravitas of this large central movement. Characterised by gentle, reedy countertenors and bright, light tenors, this ensemble have lots of vocal personality; they keep phrases buoyant while generally avoiding an acceleration towards those delightfully angular Ars Nova cadences.
The second Mass is a modern assemblage from the Apt manuscript, an idea borrowed from old scribal practices. Here there is a troped Kyrie with fabulous flowing phrases taken by countertenor, after which are two named movements by Depansis (Gloria) and Tapissier (Sanctus), composers about whom we know frustratingly little.
Finally, turning to the motets, de Vitry’s Colla jugo/Bona condit stands out for Dominique Vellard’s gently paced instrumental performance. Remembering the sprightly, chattering (vocal) recording by Sequentia (DHM, 1/92), with its top voice bubbling over with a fast-moving text, these performances by Ensemble Gilles Binchois are determinedly unfussy compared to the exciting, frenetic style often associated with de Vitry.
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