Dufay: Music for St. James the Greater

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
"The moon of all music, and the light of all singers," was how one contemporary observer described the illustrious 15th-century French composer Guillaume Dufay. Dufay not only enjoyed great acclaim as a musician, but he also enjoyed an unusually long life--he died at 74--which he spent in service to several noble patrons in Italy and as canon of Cambrai Cathedral in France. His music exudes an amazing richness and vitality, due as much to its luminous harmonic writing as to its lively, complex rhythms. The veneration of St. James was of enormous importance in the Middle Ages, signified by the thousands of pilgrimages to the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Dufay's Mass is unusual and remarkable for its stylistic diversity, a feature of the work that's prompted much musicological investigation. For most of us, however, the sheer beauty of the music--exemplified in these resplendent performances--speaks for itself. --David Vernier

Tracks:

Mass For Saint James The Greater: Introit
Mass For Saint James The Greater: Kyrie
Mass For Saint James The Greater: Gloria
Mass For Saint James The Greater: Alleluia
Mass For Saint James The Greater: Credo
Mass For Saint James The Greater: Offertory
Mass For Saint James The Greater: Sanctus
Mass For Saint James The Greater: Agnus Dei
Mass For Saint James The Greater: Communio
Rite majorem Jacobum canamus - Arcibus summis miseri reclusi
Balsamus et munda cera
Gloria
Credo
Apostolo glorioso

Amazon.com

"The moon of all music, and the light of all singers," was how one contemporary observer described the illustrious 15th-century French composer Guillaume Dufay. Dufay not only enjoyed great acclaim as a musician, but he also enjoyed an unusually long life--he died at 74--which he spent in service to several noble patrons in Italy and as canon of Cambrai Cathedral in France. His music exudes an amazing richness and vitality, due as much to its luminous harmonic writing as to its lively, complex rhythms. The veneration of St. James was of enormous importance in the Middle Ages, signified by the thousands of pilgrimages to the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Dufay's Mass is unusual and remarkable for its stylistic diversity, a feature of the work that's prompted much musicological investigation. For most of us, however, the sheer beauty of the music--exemplified in these resplendent performances--speaks for itself. --David Vernier

Customer Reviews:

Dufay would be proud.......2006-02-02

Guillaume Dufay (c. 1397-1474) was arguably the dominant composer of the 15th century, and a crucial figure in music history. Dufay successfully blended the two major musical developments of the early 15th century - the imperfect consonances (3rds and 6ths) popularized by English composers such as Dunstable, and the rhythmic advances of Continental composers such as Ciconia - thus forging a new style that would become the foundation of Renaissance music. Dufay mastered both sacred and secular forms, and directly influenced younger contemporaries such as Ockeghem and Busnoys. Many musicologists credit later composers, such as Josquin or Obrecht, with developing the "learned style" of pervasive imitation that dominated Renaissance polyphony. However, the elements of the learned style had their genesis - however elementary - in the music of Dufay.

"The Mass for St. James the Greater" is an early Dufay plenary Mass (c. 1427), which includes not only the movements of the Mass Ordinary (Gloria, Kyrie, Credo, Sanctus, Agnus Dei) but also the Proper movements (Introit, Alleluia, Offertory and Communio). Scholars have identified the Communio as the first documented use of "fauxbourdon" - a quasi-improvisatory technique that supported the highest voice with parallel first inversion chords, thereby emulating the "sweet sound" of the English composers.

The Binchois Consort, led by Andrew Kirkman, performs not only the entire Mass for St. James the Greater, but associated motets ("Rite majorem Jacobum" and "Apostolo Glorioso") from approximately the same period. The Mass is not top-shelf Dufay, but instead captures the composer in a formative, developmental phase. Dufay would go on to master the Cyclic Mass with works such as "Missa Se la face ay pale" and "Missa L'homme arme," and thereby establish the standards to which composers of 15th century sacred music aspired. The motets showcase Dufay's skill with shorter sacred forms, a genre that Dufay would master with "Nuper rosarum flores" (1436).

Some may criticize the composition of the Binchois Consort (eight male adults), but Dufay did not always have large vocal ensembles to compose for, especially early in his career. Male sopranos can be an acquired taste, but the Binchois Consort delivers tasteful, impeccable performances. The acoustics are astounding and the production values are pristine. Dufay would be proud that his early works have received such sensitive handling, nearly six centuries after their composition.

Screeching in falsetto.......2004-05-08

If you enter a medieval cathedral, you see a large area in the center of the main floor reserved for a choir with seating for up to a hundred young men or boys. Clearly, Dufay composed his music for exactly such a large choir with a blend of voices. On this album, however, we have only 8 men -- four altos and four tenors -- all singing well above the normal range of their voices. Hence, screeching in falsetto.
If what you want from this CD is to enjoy the complexities of Dufay's compositions, which the liner notes discuss in minute detail, you have to find a way to listen without paying serious attention to the performances themselves. You might, for example, pretend that you're listening to a sackbutt or krumhorn band. Unlike the Editorial Review, I don't find the ensemble's performance resplendent. Male sopranos may be an acquired taste, but I spit this one back.
Apart from that, the Mass just goes on and on and on, and is not nearly as interesting as the liner notes would have you believe. But the other music -- the Rite Majorem and three other pieces -- is actually quite nice. If all these compositions were recorded by a proper choir with women doing the high lines, it would deserve a lot more stars than I'm prepared to give it.

Great!.......2000-10-11

This mass is not popular. However, the mixture of medieval and Renaissance styles is really beautiful. This is certainly a Dufay's music: deep, warm, mesmeric, and confortable. Kirkman's performance is also unbelievable. This is one of the best recordings of Dufay's.

Average customer rating:

Dufay would be proud

Dufay: Music for St. James the Greater

Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Masses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Motets | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Renaissance (c.1450-1600) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Messe de Tournai
Dufay: Mass for St. Anthony Abbot; Binchois: Mass movements

ASIN: B0000CDVRE
Release Date: 2003-11-11

Customer Reviews:

Dufay would be proud.......2006-02-02

Guillaume Dufay (c. 1397-1474) was arguably the dominant composer of the 15th century, and a crucial figure in music history. Dufay successfully blended the two major musical developments of the early 15th century - the imperfect consonances (3rds and 6ths) popularized by English composers such as Dunstable, and the rhythmic advances of Continental composers such as Ciconia - thus forging a new style that would become the foundation of Renaissance music. Dufay mastered both sacred and secular forms, and directly influenced younger contemporaries such as Ockeghem and Busnoys. Many musicologists credit later composers, such as Josquin or Obrecht, with developing the "learned style" of pervasive imitation that dominated Renaissance polyphony. However, the elements of the learned style had their genesis - however elementary - in the music of Dufay.

"The Mass for St. James the Greater" is an early Dufay plenary Mass (c. 1427), which includes not only the movements of the Mass Ordinary (Gloria, Kyrie, Credo, Sanctus, Agnus Dei) but also the Proper movements (Introit, Alleluia, Offertory and Communio). Scholars have identified the Communio as the first documented use of "fauxbourdon" - a quasi-improvisatory technique that supported the highest voice with parallel first inversion chords, emulating the "sweet sound" of the English composers. The Mass is not top-shelf Dufay, but instead captures the composer in a formative, developmental phase. Dufay would go on to master the Cyclic Mass with works such as "Missa Se la face ay pale" and "Missa L'homme arme," and thereby establish the standards to which composers of 15th century sacred music aspired.

The Binchois Consort, led by Andrew Kirkman, performs not only the entire Mass for St. James the Greater, but associated motets ("Rite majorem Jacobum" and "Apostolo Glorioso") from approximately the same period. The motets showcase Dufay's skill with shorter sacred forms, a genre that Dufay would eventually master with "Nuper rosarum flores" (1436).

Some may criticize the composition of the Binchois Consort (eight male adults), but Dufay did not always have large vocal ensembles to compose for, especially early in his career. Male sopranos can be an acquired taste, but the Binchois Consort delivers tasteful, impeccable performances. The acoustics are astounding and the production values are pristine. Dufay would be proud that his early works have received such sensitive handling, nearly six centuries after their composition.

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