Est 1923

Secret Voices

Pre-Renaissance experts sing music of the late 13th century

Record and Artist Details

Composer or Director: Anonymous

Genre:

Vocal

Label: Harmonia Mundi USA

Media Format: Super Audio CD

Media Runtime: 58

Mastering:

Stereo
DDD

Catalogue Number: HMU80 7510

Tracks:

Composition Artist Credit
Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: Benedicamus Domino cum cantico (3vv) Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous 4
Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: Mater patris et filia (conductus, 3vv) Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous 4
Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: Verbum bonum et suavi (4vv) Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous 4
Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: O Maria maris stella (Folio 102) Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous 4
Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: Ave Maris stella (conductus) Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous 4
Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: Virgines egregie Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous 4
Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: O Maria, virgo regia (organica cantica) Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous 4
Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: Agnus Dei Gloriosa spes reorum (1/2 vv) Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous 4
Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: Claustrum pudicicie/ Virgo viget/ FLOS FILIUS Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous 4
Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: Fa fa mi/ Ut re mi Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous 4
Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: Salve porta/ Salve salus/ Salve sancta parens Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous 4
Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: Kirie: Rex virginum amator Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous 4
Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: Glorai: Spritus et alme Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous 4
Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: Salve virgo regia/ Ave gloriosa mater/ (DOMINO) Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous 4
Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: Sanctus & Benedictus Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous 4
Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: Gaude virgo nobilis/ Verbum caro factum/ ET VERITATE Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous 4
Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: O monialis conscio Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous 4
Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: Benedicamus domino: Belial vocatur Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous 4
Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: In virgulto gracie Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous 4
Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: Ave regina celorum/ Alma redemptoris mater/ (ALMA) Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous 4
Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: Benedicamus domino à 3 (rondellus) Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous 4
Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: Si vocatus ad nupcias Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous 4
Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: Benedicamus domino à 2 Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous 4
Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: Omnium in te christe Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous, Composer
Anonymous 4
There are many reasons why this is a superlative issue. First of course is the wonderful but rarely heard music of the Las Huelgas manuscript, copied around 1300 for the Cistercian nuns at their house near Burgos: this is a repertory of considerable variety, ranging from complicated motets to simple note-against-note sequences and single-line songs. There are some delicious pieces here, my own favourite (today) being the lovely and haunting two-voice sequence In virgulto gracie. Another reason is that the four ladies of Anonymous 4 have arranged these pieces roughly according to the progress of a day in the nunnery, from the dawn worship through Mass (though sadly the manuscript doesn’t contain any music for the Credo) and on to the evening offices: it has just enough logic to turn this from being a random anthology to a programme that feels coherent.

And then there is the singing of Anonymous 4, who are hard to challenge in this kind of repertory. It is not just that their tuning is astonishing, and particularly good in a dissonant piece like the glorious Benedicamus trope Belial vocatur. It is also that they have four very distinctive voices that manage to blend perfectly and balance perfectly without at any point losing clarity. It is also that they have a wonderfully light way with rhythm and metre: this is music that can so easily get bogged down in an unremitting jog. Even more important, they never try to over-egg the music: they just present it, though with constant energy.

Secret Voices

Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: Benedicamus Domino cum cantico (3vv)

Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: Mater patris et filia (conductus, 3vv)

Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: Verbum bonum et suavi (4vv)

Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: O Maria maris stella (Folio 102)

Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: Ave Maris stella (conductus)

Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: Virgines egregie

Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: O Maria, virgo regia (organica cantica)

Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: Agnus Dei Gloriosa spes reorum (1/2 vv)

Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: Claustrum pudicicie/ Virgo viget/ FLOS FILIUS

Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: Fa fa mi/ Ut re mi

Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: Salve porta/ Salve salus/ Salve sancta parens

Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: Kirie: Rex virginum amator

Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: Glorai: Spritus et alme

Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: Salve virgo regia/ Ave gloriosa mater/ (DOMINO)

Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: Sanctus & Benedictus

Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: Gaude virgo nobilis/ Verbum caro factum/ ET VERITATE

Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: O monialis conscio

Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: Benedicamus domino: Belial vocatur

Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: In virgulto gracie

Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: Ave regina celorum/ Alma redemptoris mater/ (ALMA)

Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: Benedicamus domino à 3 (rondellus)

Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: Si vocatus ad nupcias

Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: Benedicamus domino à 2

Codex Las Huelgas, Movement: Omnium in te christe

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