On this CD:
1. Bon jour, bon mois, bon an et bonne estraine, rondeau for 3 voices
Composed by Guillaume Dufay
Conducted by Alexander Blachly
2. In principio erat verbum, motet for 4 parts
Composed by Josquin Desprez
Conducted by Alexander Blachly
3. Intemerata Dei mater, motet for 5 voices
Composed by Johannes Ockeghem
Conducted by Alexander Blachly
4. Ave maris stella, hymn for 3 voices
Composed by Guillaume Dufay
Conducted by Alexander Blachly
5. Magnificat in the 6th tone, for 4 voices
Composed by Antoine Busnois
Conducted by Alexander Blachly
6. Inviolata, integra et casta es, motet for 5 parts
Composed by Josquin Desprez
Conducted by Alexander Blachly
7. Virgo prudentissima, for chorus
Composed by Hilaire Penet
Conducted by Alexander Blachly
8. Venit ad Petrum
Composed by Gregorian Chant
Conducted by Alexander Blachly
9. Salve Regina
Composed by Richard Hygons
Conducted by Alexander Blachly
10. Veni Sancte Spiritus, isorhythmic motet for 4 voices, MB 32
Composed by John Dunstable
Conducted by Alexander Blachly
11. En Katerine Solennia
Composed by Byttering
Conducted by Alexander Blachly
12. De profundis, motet for 4 parts (poss. spurious)
Composed by Josquin Desprez
Conducted by Alexander Blachly
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
This is one of the most beautiful early music discs in the catalog--equally attributable to the music and to the perfectly tuned and blended voices, whose timbres couldn't be more appealing to the ear or more appropriate to the style of the repertoire. The very first track--a charming, gentle, hopeful little piece by Dufay, "Bon jour, bon mois, bon an"--leads us easily into the heart and spirit of this well-conceived program, which seeks to duplicate in music the expressive power and visual beauty of the richly illustrated Books of Hours--lovingly created volumes that were a cherished fixture of religious devotional practice in medieval and Renaissance Europe. Among the composers represented are Dufay, Desprez, Busnoys, Dunstaple, and Ockeghem. Put this at the top of your list. --David Vernier
The Musical Book of Hours, Music, Antoine Busnois, Byttering, Gregorian Chant, Guillaume Dufay, John Dunstable, Richard Hygons, Josquin Desprez, Johannes Ockeghem, Hilaire Penet, Alexander Blachly, Choral, Choral Music, Classical, Classical Artists, Classical Music, Hymn, Magnificat, Medieval Motet, Miscellaneous, Motet, Renaissance Motet, Requiem/Requiem Section, Rondeau, Sacred Choral Music, Unknown Genre/Unspecified Instrumentation, Vocal
Average customer rating: |
Pomerium: Musical Book of Hours
Mark Duer , Antoine Busnois , Byttering , Guillaume Dufay , John Dunstable , Richard Hygons , Josquin Desprez , Johannes Ockeghem , Hilaire Penet , Sarum Chant , Michele A. Eaton , Michael Steinberger , Timothy Leigh Evans , and Director Alexander Blachly Manufacturer: Archiv Produktion ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B00008AD9Y Release Date: 2003-06-10 |
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Cappuccino Classics
Manufacturer: RCA ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD ASIN: B000003FXT Release Date: 1996-02-27 |
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100 All-Time Classical Favorites
Manufacturer: Madacy Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD ASIN: B0009VNBTM Release Date: 2005-07-05 |
Customer Reviews:
100 Classical Favorites???.......2007-03-27
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The Musical Book of Hours
Manufacturer: Archiv Produktion ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD ASIN: B000006AUW Release Date: 1998-04-14 |
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Amazon.com
This is one of the most beautiful early music discs in the catalog--equally attributable to the music and to the perfectly tuned and blended voices, whose timbres couldn't be more appealing to the ear or more appropriate to the style of the repertoire. The very first track--a charming, gentle, hopeful little piece by Dufay, "Bon jour, bon mois, bon an"--leads us easily into the heart and spirit of this well-conceived program, which seeks to duplicate in music the expressive power and visual beauty of the richly illustrated Books of Hours--lovingly created volumes that were a cherished fixture of religious devotional practice in medieval and Renaissance Europe. Among the composers represented are Dufay, Desprez, Busnoys, Dunstaple, and Ockeghem. Put this at the top of your list. --David VernierCustomer Reviews:
Become immersed in medieval piety.......2004-01-11
Little did I suspect that the "hours" in question are the hallowed times during the day (seven in all) when monks get together in the church to sing psalms and pray God in harmony with the progression of the sun. What the book of hours did was to bring the daily liturgy of the convent into the life of the laity, adding a rich ornamentation and all kinds of details related to the calendar.
In these devotional exercises prayers to and meditions on the Blessed Virgin were prominent.
The content of a typical medieval book of hours, which, as you can see, has nothing to do with casual reading, serves as the structure of this album of sublime late medieval sacred chants: just as a book of hours begins with a depiction of the seasons, a joyous song evoking the calendar by Dufay opens the performance. It is followed by a long, stately Gospel lesson (the first chapter of the Gospel of John:"In the beginning was the word...") by Josquin Desprez.
Thereafter, as so many beads on a musical string, a succession of hymns to the Virgin Mary( which make up more than a third of the recording). Then the choristers pay homage to the Holy Cross and the Holy Spirit, supplicate the saints, before singing a vibrant piece from the Office of the Dead "De Profundis Clamavi", also by Desprez, which ends the performance.
This cd is exceptionally beautiful on account of several factors:
-perfect balance between male and female voices: too many Renaissance music recordings suffer from a kind of yin/yang imbalance in which the sopranos "outvoice" their male counterparts, giving us a music that is often too high and ear-fraying.
-ideal track length: again many acclaimed recordings are characterized by an (over)abundance of very short tracks, mostly two or three minutes songs or motets. In this album the average track length is much higher, with two 9 minutes and one 12 minutes pieces.This means that you have enough time to get completely immersed in the mood of each chant.
-greater calm and intimacy: many Renaissance albums tire the listener through an excess of what I call "triumphant" chants: music with great vocal surges and swells during which all choristers sing at the top of their voices (Spem in alium by Tallis or the Requiem Mass by Victoria are typical examples). This performance bathes in a more quiet and intimate atmosphere, as befits a private liturgy in honor of tender Mary. Besides, a kind of "grounding" effect that is very soothing is obtained through the Gregorian chant pieces sung only by male voices (there are two of them on this album).
What else could I say than to recommend you this magnificent cd? It is really a pity that all other recordings by this chorale, the New-York based Pomerium("orchard" in Latin), are out of stock. Anyway, the Book of Hours is such a splendor that we can still consider ourselves blessed a thousand times.
Splendor.......2003-05-09
A must!.......1998-12-28
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500 Classic Masterpieces
Manufacturer: Vox (Classical) ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD ASIN: B00008FZWM Release Date: 1992-11-04 |
Music Track:
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