Giovanni Pierluigi da PALESTRINA (c1525-1594)
How fair thou art - Biblical passions by Palestrina
Alma redemptoris mater [02:54]
Quam pulchri sunt gressus tui [02:48]
Pulchrae sunt genae tuae [03:27]
Tota pulchra es anima mea [02:38]
Nigra sum, sed formosa [03:17]
Regina coeli [02:11]
Trahe me, post te [03:22]
Veni, veni dilecte mi [02:44]
Surge, propera amica mea [02:21]
Descendi in hortum meum [03:02]
Ave regina coelorum [05:29]
Sicut lilium inter spinas (1569) [04:41]
Osculetur me [02:35]
Ecce tu pulcher es [02:24]
Sicut lilium inter spinas [03:58]
Salve Regina [06:59]
The King’s Singers: (David Hurley, Timothy Wayne-Wright (alto), Julian Gregory (tenor), Christopher Bruerton, Christopher Gabbitas (baritone), Jonathan Howard (bass))
Recorded 15 - 18 June 2015 at St Augustines Church, Kilburn, London DDD
Texts and translations included
SIGNUM CLASSICS SIGCD450 [54:54]
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina is almost exclusively associated
with sacred music. That is understandable as he was in the service of the
church all his life. However, he also wrote madrigals: in 1555 he published
a book with four-part madrigals, followed many years later by two books of
madrigals for five and four voices respectively (1581, 1586). This part of
his output receives little attention; the discography includes only one disc
exclusively devoted to his madrigals. The motets on texts from the Song of
Songs (Canticum Canticorum as they are called in the Vulgate, the
Latin translation of the Bible) are pretty close to the madrigals as far as
their stylistic features are concerned. The King's Singers have recorded
a selection of eleven motets from the collection of 29 which he published
as his fourth book of motets in 1584. One of the texts appears twice: the
first setting performed here is from the first book of motets of 1569.
"Framing the twelve (sic) settings of Canticum Canticorum on
this recording are four Marian motets by Palestrina", David Hurley writes
in his liner-notes. These are the classical four Marian antiphons which have
been set so often throughout history. Referring to the Salve Regina
he states that "[the] fervour of this setting matches the passion of
the settings of words from the Song of Songs." It is regrettable that
he makes no attempt to connect the two categories represented here and also
misses the point in regard to the meaning of the Song of Songs motets.
The connection between them is the veneration of the Virgin Mary. Since ancient
times the love poetry of the Song of Songs has been given a spiritual interpretation.
In his notes to Pro Cantione Antiqua's recording (Hyperion, 1994) Bruno
Turner writes: "But the Songs must be seen, and the music heard, in the
context of an age of Roman Catholic Counter-Reformation fervour, an age devoted
by Roman authority to the triumph of the Virgin as well as her tenderness.
The Spouse of the allegory is not only the Church or the individual soul but
the bride who is represented by Our Lady the Mediator and by the Queen of
Heaven, the One arrayed for battle, even the woman of the Apocalypse; certainly
to Palestrina's contemporaries, the Virgin who won the Battle of Lepanto
(1571) and for whom the Papacy instituted the Feast of Our Lady of Victory."
This also explains that Palestrina dedicated this collection to Pope Gregory
XIII. "[This] particular Pope was a worldly man", Hurley writes.
That may be true but in respect to these motets his previous mention of Gregory's
active support of the Counter Reformation is far more relevant. After all,
the status of the Virgin Mary was one of the main points of difference between
Protestants and Catholics.
From that angle the mixture of motets on texts from the Song of Songs and
the four Marian antiphons makes much sense. They are certainly connected in
the passion with which they are set - as far as one can expect that from Palestrina
who certainly is not the most 'passionate' of composers - but
more significantly they emphasize the importance of the Virgin Mary in the
Roman Catholic doctrine. They represent two sides of the church, as it were.
The antiphons were part of the liturgy: they are a fixed part of the Liturgy
of the Hours. The Song of Songs motets, on the other hand, are not suitable
for liturgical use but were rather written for domestic performance. The fact
that no fewer than eleven editions of this collection are known attests to
their popularity.
These differences should also be reflected in the performances and maybe even
the venues where they are recorded. The acoustic is pretty intimate and that
suites the motets rather well. The same goes for the 'madrigalistic'
approach of The King's Singers. As a result the texts are clearly audible,
despite the largely polyphonic texture of these motets. There is not much
text expression here and the performers don't try to underline some
elements in the text. However, there are some traces of contrast between the
motets, for instance the jubilant nature of Tota pulchra es - "All
fair thou art" which inspired to this disc's title - and the ensuing
Nigra sum: "I am black but beautiful" which is dominated
by dark colours.
I would have liked a little more reverberation in the Marian antiphons. Their
liturgical character doesn't come off that well; I also think that
this kind of music requires a slightly larger ensemble than one-to-a-part
as we have here. I also would prefer a more 'liturgical' style
of singing where the words would get more weight.
I just wonder which audiences a disc like this aims at. Those who want to
have a recording of the complete Song of Songs motets can choose from several
interpretations, for instance Pro Cantione Antiqua but also the Hilliard Ensemble
(Virgin Classics), Magnificat (Linn Records), the Ensemble William Byrd (Jade)
and the Capella Dvcale Venetia (CPO). There are probably more. This disc may
appeal mainly to admirers of The King's Singers. They will certainly
not be disappointed.
Johan van Veen
www.musica-dei-donum.org
twitter.com/johanvanveen
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