John SHEPPARD
Missa Cantate & Verbum caro facto est
.
Gabrieli Consort/Paul
McCreech with Salisbury Cathedral Boy Choristers/Richard Seal
DGG Archiv 457 658-2 [81
mins!]
Crotchet
Amazon
UK
01. Procession Before The Third Mass
Of Christmas: Descendit De Celis
02. Antiphon: Hodie Christus Natus Est
03. Third Mass Of Christmas: Introit: Puer Natus Est Nobis
04. Kyrie: Deus Creator Omnium
05. Gloria: Gloria In Excelsis Deo
0
6. Collect: Dominus Vobiscum...Oremus. Concede Quesumus
07. Lesson: Lectio Ysaie Prophete
08. Epistle: Lectio Epistole Beati Pauli Apostoli
09. Gradual: Viderunt Omnes Fines Terre
10. Alleluia: Alleluia. Dies Santificatus Illuxit Nobis
11. Sequence: Celeste Organum Hodie Sonuit In Terra
12. Gospel: Dominus Vobiscum...Initium Sancti Evangelii
13. Credo: Credo In Umum Deum
14. Offertory: Dominus Vobiscum...Tui Sunt Celi
15. Secret: Oremus. Oblata Domine Munera/Preface: Dominus
Vobiscum...Sursum...
16. Sanctus: Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus
17. Benedictus: Benedictus, Qui Venit
18. Pater Noster: Per Omnia Secula Seculorum
19. Agnus Dei: Agnus Dei, Qui Tollis
20. Communion: Viderunt Omnes Fines Terre/Postcommunion: Dominus
Vobiscum...
21. Verbum Caro Factum Est
Sarum (Salisbury) was the centre of English traditional church
worship during the 15 & 16 centuries and this CD recreates a service
according to the Sarum Rite, with bells and processions to musical accompaniment.
The Kyrie is expanded with elaborate invocations and petitions. In
the Offertory as recorded in Salisbury Cathedral there is even a section
entitled Secret - it seems to be silent, but if you turn up the volume
control you can hear the celebrants intoning sotto voce! For musician
listeners the meat of the unusually comprehensive recorded sequence will
be the Third Mass for Christmas.
John Sheppard (c.1515-1558) has latterly become appreciated as one
of the great composers of the period, with a voice of his own. Missa
Cantate for six voices is the most elaborate of his five settings,
scored to span a range of over three octaves and with extended melismatic
passages. In the Sanctus there are some very striking dissonances.
His motet Verbum caro facto est incorporates chant against complex
counterpoint, arriving at a final chord - 'one of the most thrilling moments
in the entire repertoire' (Sally Dunkley).
The cathedral acoustic makes this production stronger on atmosphere than
clarity of part writing; sounding a little confused on my loudspeakers but
splendid on earphones. Non-specialists may wish to use the track selection
capability to skip some of the chant and programme the main music, which
totals 32 minutes (26 for the Mass, 6 for Verbum caro facto est)
out of a generous 81 total.
Devoted care in preparation, backed by searching scholarship, is evident
in the three introductory essays, including descriptions of the Sarum Rite,
full background information about Sheppard & his Missa Cantate and
an explanation of the unusual pronunciation - English Latin as Sheppard would
have used. Whilst for myself this CD would not be a prime purchase choice,
it is unique in offering a valuable insight into liturgical practice at the
time of its composition, and I have appreciated the opportunity to listen
to it.
Peter Grahame Woolf
