Jacob Obrecht: Missa Maria Zart

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
The late-15th-century Flemish composer Jacob Obrecht is another of the great neglected masters of the Renaissance. His Missa Maria zart (based on a German song in honor of the Virgin Mary) is, at more than 70 minutes, by far the longest Renaissance Mass cycle to have survived. Obrecht's writing in this Mass tends to be dense as well as profuse; it's rewarding, but it requires concentration from both performers and listeners. Phillips's tempos are a bit on the slow side, and the music's momentum gets lost occasionally, but the Tallis Scholars' singing is always perfectly tuned and blended. (For a fine and affordably priced introduction to Obrecht, try the Missa Caput on Naxos.) --Matthew Westphal

Tracks:

Missa Maria Zart: Kyrie
Missa Maria Zart: Gloria
Missa Maria Zart: Credo
Missa Maria Zart: Sanctus & Benedictus
Missa Maria Zart: Agnus Dei I, II & III

Customer Reviews:

A landmark recording of the sphinx amongst Obrecht's masses.......2005-06-24

There is little doubt that this recording of the longest Renaissance polyphonic mass is a landmark event of great importance. There is definitely a case to be made for Obrecht as the major figure of the Prima Prattica, with his relationship to Josquin being similar to that between Telemann and Bach. Just as Telemann's reputation completely overshadowed that of Bach's, Josquin's reputation too totally ecclipsed that of Obrecht's - only with Telemann and Bach prosterity has fully overturned the judgement. Perhaps now after five centuries prosperity will bestow a similar favour on Obrecht, who faded into total obscurity after his tragic premature demise on one of his rare excursions out of his Flemish homeland that took him through Innsbruck where he wrote the 'Missa Maria Zart' and onwards into Ferrara. There in Ferrara Obrecht got his break with a dream job working for a true patron of the arts after decades of working under harsh conditions with mediocre pay, only to have his dreams shattered as he was dismissed within months on the death of his employer. Soon after Obrecht tragically succumbed at to the plague - doubtless ministering to plague victims as a priest to sustain an income. Rob Wegman's excellent book on Obrecht is highly recommendable, as both eloquent advocacy and moving bibliography, on behalf of this sorely neglected genius.

The Missa Maria Zart is described by Rob Wegman as the sphinx amongst Obrecht's masses. The work is an oddity amongst this composer's mature outputs which are usually far more strongly directional, whereas here Obrecht spins out endless passages of two or three part writing that just to go on and on without a clear goal. In Wegman's words "There is no sense of development, no musical progress: the spinning is the process."

Needless to say this can make very extremely difficult and perplexing listening. So strange is this work that some writers have suggested there is some cryptic agenda to explain the composition.

The Tallis Scholars can always be depended on to present Renaissance polyphony with its typical Oxbridge sound of brilliant clarity and transparency. Often this can produce highly memorable interpretations. On the other, in this instance, this can even be a barrier to the fullest advocacy on behalf of Obrecht. Most continental reviewers (especially the French) complain bitterly that their Oxbridge approach sacrifices content for form. Christophe Huss - just to give one example - described their sound (...) as a 'perfection glacée' (icy perfection). Their relentless pursuit of a polished sound of perfect textural clarity and intonation can make it even harder for the listener to fully engage in an already difficult work such as the Missa Maria Zart - difficult that is for the listener, as much as for the performer. There is no doubt that their performance has many wonderful things and with time this will become a treasured recording.

While this is definitely an essential CD for those with an interest in Obrecht, anyone who wants to hear Obrecht advocated by performers who can communicate their genuinely hearfelt interest in his music should head straight to the recordings by Janos Bali and the ANS Chorus on Hungaraton. Essentially, they choose works that are much more representative of Obrecht and if you want to see why Wegman argues for him being the outstanding composer of this age then you are far better listening to representative works of his maturity like Missa Si Dedero, Alma Redemptoris Mater, or the Missa Malheur Me Bat rather than starting with the Missa Maria Zart. The ANS Chorus have elsewhere recieved glowing reviews such as on Goldberg early music magazine, but also notably by the highly particular Todd McComb of Medieval.org who - unusually for him - gives them a very enthusiastic recommendation. They have a characteristically European sound, similar to the Huelgas Ensemble though perhaps just a hint more English. The way they phrase Obrecht's lines is particular beautiful and the warm of the sound that they bath the listener in comes as a huge relief - it makes falling in love with Obrecht a pleasure rather than an effort. The recorded sound is also a little more atmospheric than the starkly analytical sound typical of the Gimell recordings of the Tallis Scholars (microphones slightly more recessed to capture the ambience of the acoustic). However for those who want to challenge the sphynx and hear this crytic work, until the ANS Chorus record the Missa Maria Zart, the Tallis Scholars will remain the obvious first choice.

Absolute masterpiece.......2004-02-29

When I saw the earlier review which called this "mediocre" I had to write my opinion that this is an absolute treasure. Yes, you have to have learned the Latin of the mass so you can follow every word of the singing. Yes, this is the most drawn-out setting of the text of any mass you've ever heard--it takes a couple of hearings to adjust your expectations to the extremely long dwelling on every word. Yes, you have to be skilled in listening to polyphony. But this is the kind of masterpiece that makes you think about buying an extra CD in case something should happen to your CD. I own half a dozen performances by the Tallis Scholars, and this is my favorite.

(yawn) In tune, in time, but so what?.......2002-04-22

There's not a whole lot of point reviewing every mediocre CD of Renaissance music I hear, but I thought I'd review one so that I've got the indifferent in there with the good and the bad. Helpful hey? Isn't this review helpful?

Anyway, I digress. Here is a monster of a renaissance mass: at 69 minutes, easily twice as long as just about any other. The cantus firmus tune, "Maria Zart", is unusually long at 32 bars, and consequently each movement is stretched out to lengths which would test the patience of all but the most devoted polyphonyhead.

In spite of its strictly musicological interest, it is not the most charismatic or accessible work in Obrecht's oeuvre. Unfortunately this performance does very little to alleviate matters: every note is perfectly tuned and placed, but with the exception of the basses (who phrase admirably throughout), it sounds like they are doing little more than sightreading. Especially irritating is the sopranos' seemingly utter disregard for either beauty of tone or phrasing. I can understand the attempt to produce a breathy boy soprano sound, but surely this doesn't need to correspond with an articulation in which every note receives identical emphasis?

Tracks:

Missa Maria Zart: Kyrie
Missa Maria Zart: Gloria
Missa Maria Zart: Credo
Missa Maria Zart: Sanctus & Benedictus
Missa Maria Zart: Agnus Dei

Amazon.com

The late-15th-century Flemish composer Jacob Obrecht is another of the great neglected masters of the Renaissance. His Missa Maria zart (based on a German song in honor of the Virgin Mary) is, at more than 70 minutes, by far the longest Renaissance Mass cycle to have survived. Obrecht's writing in this Mass tends to be dense as well as profuse; it's rewarding, but it requires concentration from both performers and listeners. Phillips's tempos are a bit on the slow side, and the music's momentum gets lost occasionally, but the Tallis Scholars' singing is always perfectly tuned and blended. (For a fine and affordably priced introduction to Obrecht, try the Missa Caput on Naxos.) --Matthew Westphal

Customer Reviews:

Superior Early Rennaissance Performance.......2006-11-03

The Tallis Scholars' performance of Jacob Obricht's 'Missa Maria Zart' is definitely a cut above the average Tallis Renaissance offering. It is certainly better than Johannes Ockeghem's 'Au travail suis' plus material from Gilles de Bins dit Binchois and Barbingant (?) which is a very good, well executed series of Renaissance liturgical pieces. I find, however, that it is simply not quite as interesting as the Obrecht piece which gains from being a bit longer than the Ockeghem offering, and also for being the recording of a single Mass, with all the usual five parts, Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus & Benedictus, and Agnus Dei. The Ockeghem recording offers two different masses with these five parts, but neither seem to stand out quite so well as the Obrecht work or the later Palestrina masses.

I will suggest that the very nicest thing about the Ockeghem masses is that they are short, and therefore much less challanging if one is interested in using these pieces in an actual liturgy or as a part of a longer performance.

expansively poetic.......2000-07-26

I would have to ponder for a long, long time if someone were to ask me what my favorite Tallis Scholars album is. In the end, I would not be able to pick just one; although Obrecht's Missa Maria Zart does occupy a special place in my collection.

Obrecht was among the greatest Franco-Flemish composers of the Renaissance. His polyphony was characterized by a markedly northern style. That style is on full display here.

This music is expansively poetic. The Gloria in particular is lush and enthralling. The interplay of the voices on the shorter phrases is breathtaking. It is amazing how much beauty is here on one recording. I give this disc my highest recommendation.

Scrumptuous Early Renaissance Polyphony.......1998-10-15

This is an irresistible album. I had not realized how melodically inventive and engaging Obrecht is. And the intonation and balance, and just the sheer beauty of sound of the Tallis Scholars are phenomenally good. This is a great way to start for someone who has never sampled renaissance music, and a great way to try Obrecht for someone who already likes the renaissance. The Tallis Scholars have a number of great albums, but this is close to the best. Excellent recorded sound.

Track Listings:

Track Listings

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