Francisco GUERRERO (1528-1599) Missa Congratulamini
mihi [32.07]; Ave Maria a 4 [4.14]; Regina Caeli a 8 [4.05];
Dum esset rex [3.00]; Maria Magdalena et altera Maria [6.33];
Post dies octo a 5 [5.23]; Regina Caeli a 4 [2.37];
Thomas CRECQUILLON (c.1505-c.1557) Congratulamini mihi [6.57]
The Cardinall’s Musick/Andrew Carwood
rec. 9-11 November 2009, Fitzalan Chapel, Arundel Castle, Sussex
HYPERION CDA67836 [65.09]
Have you ever asked yourself which composers of the dim and distant past you
would like to have met? Well, being a bit 'sad', as my sons say, I would love
to have had a conversation or a composition lesson with Guerrero. I would
have asked him about his trip to the Holy Land in 1588/9 when he was already
an old man and his other consequent adventures, for example being robbed by
pirates - twice. I have never found a modern copy of his biography but do
recall Radio 3 asking Robert Hardy to read sections of it a decade ago, I
think in two programmes. Quite a yarn it is too and the composer’s simple
faith and amazement at the sights he saw have lived on with me.
In recent times Hyperion has adopted a practice in renaissance music of placing
the Mass setting before the motet on which it is based. I know that one can
programme a CD in any order one chooses but this practice is a little odd
and it would be good to know the reason. Anyway it’s worth getting to know
Crecquillon's motet Congratulamini mihi before listening to the mass
which, incidentally, is one of three by Guerrero based on motets by others.
The text chimes in with the concept surrounding the CD and concerns Mary Magdalene’s
arrival at the tomb on Easter Morning: “Rejoice with me, all ye who love the
Lord/for he whom I sought has appeared to me”. There are three elements which
need to be taken on board. First the fanfare-like awakening idea. Second there’s
the contrasting second verse, ‘They have taken away my Lord from the tomb”
which includes a section about weeping described in a very peremptory way
with some simple scalic passages. Finally the predominantly bright major-mode,
well suited to the season, is used almost throughout.
The Mass is for SSATB - the motet for SATBB – and is in the usual six sections
taking the Benedictus as a separate entity. Unlike the motet and the following
ones it is performed two to a part. It’s debatable whether Guerrero expected
to hear it like this or even, as in the motets, one to a part. It’s probably
best for now not to go down that line.
It is the bright and exultant mood of the mass which really imposes itself
on the listener and indeed it should do for the octave of Easter. The two
soprano parts especially lift the texture as opposed to the two bass parts
in the motet. The fanfaring figure is heard in the Gloria. The falling scalic
passages mentioned above for “weeping” are rarely used: listen to the central
‘Et Incarnatus’ where we hear a semblance of them. The performance captures
the mood brilliantly and I found myself wondering if they had ever performed
the Mass live. The sopranos, Carys Lane and Cecilia Osmund, Amy Haworth and
Rebecca Hickey (some heard on so many CDs of early music) are basically without
noticeable vibrato but could not be mistaken for boys, A friend listening
with me thought their tone quality curiously thin, I turned down the treble
quite a bit and the sound warmed up. Perhaps the Fitzalan Chapel acoustic
- a beautiful medieval building at the back of the parish church - is a little
brittle.
The six remaining motets are headed up by two in honour of Mary Magdalene.
As Andrew Carwood comments in his informative and helpful booklet notes (with
full texts) these two composers “belong to the world of the madrigal” of which
Guerrero wrote many very fine ones. The first Dum Esset rex for men’s
voices in four parts is brief and tells of Magdalene and the jar of ointment.
The joyous second Maria Magdalena et altera Maria in five parts tells
of Mary and the women visiting the tomb on Easter morning. For the week following
Easter and the appearance to Thomas we have the moving motet Post dies
octo in five parts; curiously it omits altos.
The disc ends with two contrasting double-choir motets. The sonorous Ave
Maria, a joyous setting in the major mode, contrasts with the minor mode
four part Regina Caeli “Queen of Heaven Rejoice’. Each takes plainchant
as its basis. This is also available on a Westminster cathedral disc (Hyperion
CDA66168 ‘Treasures of the Spanish Renaissance’ with a full choir and boys
singing the upper part). The booklet notes are not clear about dates for any
of these pieces but Guerrero was supervising the publication of various books
in 1589 and later. I feel that that the first Regina Caeli may well
be an early piece whereas Post dies could be much later. Carwood writes
about “the approaching style of Monteverdi especially towards the end of the
first section”.
It’s marvellous that the Cardinall’s Musick took time out as it were from
their vast and now widely acclaimed series of Byrd’s church music to record
Guerrero. They will not disappoint.
Gary Higginson
Cardinall’s Musick will not disappoint.