Ockeghem: Requiem, Missa Fors Seulement

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Ockeghem's Requiem, the oldest surviving polyphonic setting of the funeral Mass, is Ockeghem's most famous work, and his most unusual. The style varies widely from movement to movement: the opening Introit, very plain and syllabically set, might have been written in the 1430s by Dufay; the rhapsodic duos in the tract Sicut cervus might have been written 70 years later by Josquin. The chanson "Fors seulement" and the Mass based on it both have a consistently fluid, melodious style and explore very low vocal ranges (as does Brumel's exquisitely gloomy setting of the chanson). The Clerks' Group won a well-deserved Gramophone Award for this disc, the centerpiece of their Ockeghem series. --Matthew Westphal

Ockeghem: Requiem, Missa Fors Seulement, Music, Johannes Ockeghem, Pierre de LaRue, Antoine Brumel, Jonathan Arnold, Robin Blaze, Stephen Harrold, Carys-Anne Lane, Robert MacDonald, William Missin, Rebecca Outram, Matthew Vine, Edward Wickham, Clerks' Group, Chanson, Choral, Classical, Classical Composers, Classical Music, Early Music / Chant, Miscellaneous, Miscellaneous Music, Renaissance Mass, Vocal
Ockeghem: Requiem; Missa Fors Seulement
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Better than the Tallis Scholars!!
  • Another successful attempt by the Clerks' Group to restore Ockeghem's reputation
  • Excellent
  • An inspired recording
  • Okeghem the master
 Ockeghem: Requiem; Missa Fors Seulement

Manufacturer: Gaudeamus
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Vocal & SongVocal & Song | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music | Requiems
GeneralGeneral | Renaissance (c.1450-1600) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
Sacred & ReligiousSacred & Religious | Renaissance (c.1450-1600) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ChansonsChansons | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
MassesMasses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Renaissance (c.1450-1600)Renaissance (c.1450-1600) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Ockeghem: Missa Cuiusvis Toni / Missa Quinti Toni
  2. Ockeghem: Missa Mi-Mi
  3. Dufay: Missa L'homme armé; Supremum est mortalibus bonum
  4. Jacob Obrecht: Missa Sub Tuum Praesidium; Benedictus in laude; Salve Regina
  5. Ockeghem: Missa Caput, Missa Ma Maistresse, 3 Motets / The Clerks' Group, Wickham

ASIN: B0000030PB
Release Date: 1997-03-18

Tracks:

  1. Kyrie
  2. Gloria
  3. Credo
  4. Fors Seulement
  5. Fors Seulement
  6. Du Tout Plongiet/Fors Seulement
  7. Introit
  8. Kyrie
  9. Graduale
  10. Tractus
  11. Offertorium

Amazon.com

Ockeghem's Requiem, the oldest surviving polyphonic setting of the funeral Mass, is Ockeghem's most famous work, and his most unusual. The style varies widely from movement to movement: the opening Introit, very plain and syllabically set, might have been written in the 1430s by Dufay; the rhapsodic duos in the tract Sicut cervus might have been written 70 years later by Josquin. The chanson "Fors seulement" and the Mass based on it both have a consistently fluid, melodious style and explore very low vocal ranges (as does Brumel's exquisitely gloomy setting of the chanson). The Clerks' Group won a well-deserved Gramophone Award for this disc, the centerpiece of their Ockeghem series. --Matthew Westphal

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Better than the Tallis Scholars!!.......2006-11-07

This recording of three works by Johannes Ockeghem,One By Pierre de la Rue, and one by Antoine Brumel appeals to me far more than a recording done by the Tallis Scholars of 'Missa Au travail suis' and 'Missa De plus en plus'. The distinction to my ears is that this recording by The Clerk's Group seems to stand out from the crowd of other early Renaissance works, and The Tallis Scholars' recording does not. The difference is especially notable as both recordings are done on 'minor' labels and not on one of the majors such as Hyperion or harmonia mundi. I am happy to agree with the recommendation of such a prestigious authority as 'The Gramaphone' reviewer.

5 out of 5 stars Another successful attempt by the Clerks' Group to restore Ockeghem's reputation.......2006-01-14

Though not as well known today as predecessor Guillaume Dufay and protègè Josquin Desprez, Johannes Ockeghem (c. 1410-1497) was revered by contemporaries and was once considered the premier composer of the 15th Century. Josquin himself acknowledged Ockeghem's importance, commemorating his predecessor in the lament "La dèploration de Jehan Ockeghem."

With "Missa Fors Seulement," Ockeghem follows in the footsteps of Dufay, who pioneered the technique of basing the Mass Ordinary on a pre-existing tenor from a secular source (as opposed to a Church-approved plainsong chant) with his "Missa Se la face ay pale." One key difference is that while Dufay's "Missa se la face ay pale" was based on a short chanson, Ockeghem structures his Mass on a song ("Fors Seulement") that's longer than any of the individual Mass movements. Ockeghem begins each Mass movement with a haunting "head motif" based on a descending tetrachord. From there, Ockeghem plunges his lower voices to depths unexplored by previous composers, creating an effect that is positively spine-tingling.

"Requiem," the earliest surviving Requiem Mass composition by any composer, represents an entirely different side of Ockeghem. Ockeghem explores a variety of polyphonic textures, thereby eschewing compositional unity. In this, he seems to have influenced later composers such as Obrecht.

The inclusion of works based on "Fors Seulement" by Pierre de la Rue and Antoine Brumel illustrates Ockeghem's influence on the following generation of composers and reinforces Ockeghem's place in music history.

This is the second CD I heard in the Clerks' Group's Ockeghem series (after "Missa de plus en plus; 5 Motets"). Once again, their performances excel, as do the disc's production values. The Clerks' Group's efforts to restore Ockeghem's reputation are clearly succeeding, and I look forward to hearing the rest of their series.

5 out of 5 stars Excellent.......2004-09-01

This is an excellent recording of notable works by one of the great figures of the Flemish school. The music is lovely and the performances are first rate.

5 out of 5 stars An inspired recording.......2002-03-17

This is a splendid recording. It gives one the experience of this medieval composer's glorious work. The Requiem is calm, solber and sublime, whilst the Missa Fors Seulement, particularly in the Gloria and Credo, has power and a number of chords that chill the spine with their primal majesty. I recommend this to all connoisseurs et connoisseuses of early music.

5 out of 5 stars Okeghem the master.......2000-11-29

This is a stunning recording in every respect. The voices are perfectly blended and the digital recording mix provides impeccable clarity so that every line has definition. This music of Okeghem, especially as performed by this superb vocal ensemble, should appeal to all those who have come to recognize the meditative beauty of Hildegarde's monophonic music. Imagine three or four single voiced gregorian chant lines weaving in and out of each other but with rhythmic vigor to form a a rich tapestry of sound and you may begin to form an appreciation of this great music. Trying to imagine the ideal setting for appreciation of this music. Certainly it was written to accompany the solemn ritual of the Catholic mass but unlike the later composers of the renaissance, this music is not intended as a display for royalty but truly an introspective experience. While the music is ever evolving and changing, it remains the same like the facets of a turning diamond catching different light reflections. Okeghem was one of the greatest of the Flemish 15th century composers whose work was highly respected and imitated by his contemporaries and his successors. He is one of the important events in the historical evolution of a kind of spiritaul music that ultimately culminated in the music of the great J.S. Bach. When listening to this music, light a candle, remove all distractions and allow yourself and all the cells of your body to be acted upon by its full deep resonance.
The Art of the Netherlands
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Holds Its Own After Three Decades
 The Art of the Netherlands
Antoine Busnois , Johannes Tinctoris , Pierre de LaRue , Jacob Obrecht , Loyset Compere , Jean Mouton , Gregorian Chant , James Bowman , Paul Elliott , Martyn Hill , Geoffrey Shaw , Maurice Bevan , Rogers Covey-Crump , Sally Dunkley , Rosemary Hardy , David James , Leigh Nixon , Charles Brett , and Edwards, Terry
Manufacturer: Virgin Records Us
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

All Works by ObrechtAll Works by Obrecht | Obrecht, Jacob | ( O ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
RequiemsRequiems | Forms & Genres | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Renaissance (c.1450-1600) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
Sacred & ReligiousSacred & Religious | Renaissance (c.1450-1600) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ChansonsChansons | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
ChantsChants | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
MassesMasses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
MotetsMotets | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
OratoriosOratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
PartsongsPartsongs | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
RequiemsRequiems | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Songs & Lieder | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Renaissance (c.1450-1600)Renaissance (c.1450-1600) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:
  1. The Art of Courtly Love - David Munrow & The Early Music Consort of London
  2. Music of the Gothic Era
  3. John Dunstable: Motets / Hilliard Ensemble
  4. Ockeghem: Missa Mi-Mi
  5. Perotin / The Hilliard Ensemble

ASIN: B000002SSM
Release Date: 1997-11-11

Tracks:

  1. I. Secular Songs: Scaramella Va Alla Guerra (Villotta) - James Bowman/Martyn Hill/Paul Elliott/Geoffrey Shaw
  2. I. Secular Songs: Allegez Moy, Doulce Plaisant Brunette: I. Original Six-Part Chanson - James Bowman/Martyn Hill/Paul Elliott/Rogers Covey-Crump/Geoffrey Shaw/Maurice Bevan
  3. I. Secular Songs: Allegez Moy, Doulce Plaisant Brunette: 2. Duet Version (Anon Early 16thC) - Nigel North/James Tyler
  4. I. Secular Songs: El Grillo E Buon Cantore (Frottola) - James Bowman/Martyn Hill/Paul Elliott/Geoffrey Shaw
  5. I. Secular Songs: Donna Di Dentro Della Tua Casa (Quodlibert) - Sally Dunkley/Rosemary Hardy/David James/Martyn Hill/Paul Elliott/Leigh Nixon/John Potter...
  6. I. Secular Songs: De Tous Biens Plaine (Rondeau): 1. Original Three-Part Chanson With Additonal Si.. - James Bowman/Nigel North/Trevor Jones/Oliver Brookes/Christopher Hogwood
  7. I. Secular Songs: De Tous Biens Plaine (Rondeau): 2. Four-Part Instrumental Version (Josquin) ... - David Munrow/Oliver Brookes/Trevor Jones/James Tyler
  8. I. Secular Songs: De Tous Biens Plaine (Rondeau): 3. Three-Part Instrumental Version I - Nigel North/James Tyler/Oliver Brookes/Christopher Hogwood
  9. I. Secular Songs: De Tous Biens Plaine (Rondeau): 4. Three-Part Instrumental Version II - David Munrow/Robert Spencer/Oliver Brookes/Christopher Hogwood
  10. I. Secular Songs: Du Tout Plongiet - Fors Seulement L'attente (After Johannes Ockeghem) (Rondeau) - Martyn Hill/Geoffrey Shaw/Trevor Jones/Oliver Brookes
  11. I. Secular Songs: Mijn Morken Gaf Mij Een Jonck Wijff (Quodlibet) - Charles Brett/Martyn Hill/Geoffrey Shaw/Terry Edwards
  12. I. Secular Songs: Johannes Ghiselin (Verbonnet): Fl Early 16th C: Ghy Syt Die Wertste Boven Al - Charles Brett/Martyn Hill/Paul Elliott/Geoffrey Shaw
  13. I. Secular Songs: Ein Frohlich Wesen: 1. Original Three-Part Chanson - James Bowman/Martyn Hill/Geoffrey Shaw/David Munrow/Robert Spencer/Nigel North
  14. I. Secular Songs: Ein Frohlich Wesen: 2. Keyboard Solo Version - Christopher Hogwood
  15. I. Secular Songs: Ein Frohlich Wesen: 3. Four-Part Chanson - James Bowman/Martyn Hill/Paul Elliot/Geoffrey Shaw/Michael Laird/Roger Brenner/Alan Lumsden...
  16. I. Secular Songs: Prenz Sur Moi Vostre Exemple Amoureux (Cannon a 3) - James Bowman/Martyn Hill/Geoffrey Shaw
  17. I. Secular Songs: Ma Bouche Rit (Virelai) - James Bowman/James Tyler/Nigel North/James Tyler/Robert Spencer/Christopher Hogwood
  18. I. Secular Songs: Guillaume Se Va Chaufer - James Bowman/Charles Brett/Geoffrey Shaw/Nigel North/Christopher Hogwood/Andrew Van Der Beck/...
  19. I. Secular Songs: Adieu Mes Amours: 1. Original Four-Part Chanson From Petrucci's Harmonice - Martyn Hill/Trevor Jones/Nigel North/Christopher Hogwood
  20. I. Secular Songs: Adieu Mes Amours: 2. Keyboard Solo Version (Anon 16thC) - Christopher Hogwood
  21. I. Secular Songs: Fortuna Desperata: 1. Original Three-Part Chanson - James Bowman/Martyn Hill/Geoffrey Shaw
  22. I. Secular Songs: Fortuna Desperata: 2. Six-Part Version (Agricola) - James BowmanMartyn Hill/Geoffrey Shaw/Trevor Jones/Nigel North/Oliver Brookes
  23. I. Secular Songs: Fortuna Desperata: 3. Three-Part Instrumental Version - David Munrow/Eleanor Slaon/Nigel North/James Tyler/Robert Spencer

Tracks:

  1. II. Mass Movts: Kyrie From Missa Sine Nomine (i)a3 - Martyn Hill/Geoffrey Shaw/Terry Edwards
  2. II. Mass Movts: Gloria From Missa 'Et Ecce Terrae Motus' - Martyn Hill/James Bowman/Charles Brett/David James/Paul Elliott/Rogers Covey-Crump/Leigh Nixon...
  3. II. Mass Movts: Credo Super 'De Tous Biens' - Martyn Hill/James Bowman/Charles Brett/Paul Elliott/Leigh Nixon/John Potter/Geoffrey Shaw/...
  4. II. Mass Movts: Sanctus From Missa 'Ave Sanctissima Maria' - Martyn Hill/James Bowman/Charles Brett/Paul Elliott/Geoffrey Shaw/Maurice Bevan
  5. II. Mass Movts: Agnus Dei From Missa 'La Bassadanza' - Martyn Hill/James Bowman/Charles Brett/Paul Elliott/Leigh Nixon/John Potter/Geoffrey Shaw/...
  6. III. Motets: Haec Deum Caeli - Martyn Hill/James Bowman/Charles Brett/Paul Elliott/Geoffrey Shaw
  7. III. Motets: O Bone Jesu - Martyn Hill/James Bowman/Paul Elliott/Geoffrey Shaw
  8. III. Motets: De Profundis a 5 - Martyn Hill/James Bowman/Paul Elliott/Geoffrey Shaw/Terry Edwards
  9. III. Motets: Benedicta Es Caelorum Regina - Martyn Hill/Charles Brett/Paul Elliott/John Potter/Geoffrey Shaw/Maurice Bevan
  10. III. Motets: Nesciens Mater Virgo Virum - Martyn Hill/James Bowman/Charles Brett/David James/Paul Elliott/John PotterTerry Edwards/...
  11. III. Motets: Inviolata Integra Et Casta Es Maria - Martyn Hill/James Bowman/Charles Brett/Paul Elliott/Rogers Covey-Crump/Leigh Nixon/John Potter...
  12. III. Motets: Intemerata Dei Mater - Martyn Hill/Paul Elliott/Geoffrey Shaw/Terry Edwards/Maurice Bevan
  13. III. Motets: Laudemus Nunc Dominium - Martyn Hill/Charles Brett/David James/Paul Elliott/Leigh Nixon/John Potter/Ian Thompson/...
  14. III. Motets: Ave Sanctissima Maria - Martyn Hill/James Bowman/Charles Brett/Paul Elliott/Geoffrey Shaw/Terry Edwards

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Holds Its Own After Three Decades.......2005-05-08

Virgin’s David Munrow Edition was issued to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the unfortunate passing of this amazing man who influenced the British early music scene at the beginning of the seventies like no other – as musicologist, music journalist, musical instrument collector and, of course, as performer. “The Art of the Netherlands” was originally a 3-LP collection, one of the last that Munrow made, having been recorded in London’s Abbey Road studios in February and April 1975. As might be expected from such a collection, it offers an overview of the creative efforts of the Dutch-Flemish school of composition between approx. 1450 and 1550. The first of the two CDs is devoted entirely to secular songs by Josquin Desprez, Heinrich Isaac, Hayne van Ghizeghem (with arrangements by Alexander Agricola), Antoine Brumel, Johannes Ghiselin, Jacob Obrecht, Johannes Ockeghem and Antoine Busnois – most of these names will be familiar to those who love the choral music of this age, but of the songs here presented, only a few are commonly performed. Munrow’s performance practice, using countertenors and a whole array of mediaeval and renaissance instruments as accompaniment, could raise an eyebrow today, a more puristic approach being generally preferred, but the result is definitely worth hearing, with some excellent singing by James Bowman and a team of up to fourteen singers. The sound quality is excellent, although the stereo panorama does not appear to be as broad as on some other Munrow discs.

The second of the two CDs is divided between a composite mass that Munrow has put together from movements by Johannes Tinctoris, Brumel, Josquin, Pierre de la Rue and Isaac, and a series of sacred and Marian motets by Obrecht, Compère, Josquin, Jean Mouton, Ockeghem, Obrecht and La Rue (with alternative ascriptions in some cases and complemented by the usual anonymi). This second disc is strictly vocal without instrumental accompaniment, something that is not only historically accurate but also makes for absolute clarity in listening. Munrow’s choir is made up of men only except on one single track where he uses two sopranos; the voices are superb and enable one to revel in this delightful music. The way bass Terry Edwards maintains the deep tessitura in some of the motets is, I find, particularly impressive. Of course, there are plenty of recordings around today (in the meantime 30 years have passed) with this kind of music sung by mixed choirs (Tallis Scholars, the Sixteen) in impeccable performances, but Munrow and his all-male team are still able to hold their own after all these years.

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