The Sixteen Edition - Guerrero: Missa de la Batalla Escoutez; Janequin: La Gue

Album Summary
Notes & Reviews
Also Purchased
Works Details

Album Summary

Janequin, Clément : Escoutez tous gentilz, chanson for 4 voices ("La bataille de Marignan;" "La Guerre"), M. 1/3

Guerrero, Francisco (Renaissance) : Lauda mater ecclesia, for 4 voices

Guerrero, Francisco (Renaissance) : Tota pulchra es Maria, motet

Guerrero, Francisco (Renaissance) : Vexilla Regis, for 4 voices

Guerrero, Francisco (Renaissance) : Ego flos campi, for 8 voices

Guerrero, Francisco (Renaissance) : Pange lingua gloriosi, hymn for 4 voices

Guerrero, Francisco (Renaissance) : Missa de la batalla escoutez

Conductor

Christophers, Harry

Ensemble

The Sixteen (Choir)

Composers

Notes & Reviews:

This release contains brand new recordings of works by Spanish Renaissance composer Francisco Guerrero, including his exquisite 'Missa de la Batalla Escoutez'. The Mass is a parody on Janequin's famous chanson "La Guerre," which is also featured on this disc. Guerrero is an astounding, varied composer with a wide expressive range. However, until relatively recently his work was seldom performed. With this CD, The Sixteen aims to redress the balance.

BBC Music Magazine
The centrepiece of the CD, though, is his Mass based on a famous chanson by Janequin depicting the Battle of Marignano in 1515. Guerrero selects the deceptively simple opening music as his material for a dazzling display of expansion and development. Harry Christophers gives magnificently sure-footed direction throughout.

Gramophone Magazine
... it is good to hear The Sixteen tackle something secular and less than reverent for a change. The singers certainly seem to enjoy it.

The Observer
The Sixteen, have unearthed another Spanish Renaissance composer of equal eminence in his day: Francisco Guerrero (1528-1599)...The lyrical and expressive Missa de la batalla escoutez, based on a popular battle chanson by Janequin, is the centrepiece of this superb disc.

Sunday Times
The Sixteen luxuriate in [Guerrero's] texture and phrase. Other works by Guerrero further underline the illustriousness of a man who was one of the Renaissance's finest.

Gramophone Classical Music Guide
Westminster Cathedral Choir recorded Guerrero's 'Battle' Mass (based on Janequin's famous descriptive chanson) for Hyperion (see above), drawing on instrumental support from His Majestys Sagbutts and Cornetts. To this historically documented approach to performance The Sixteen now provide an a cappella alternative. But a more profound difference between the two interpretations is summed up in the question: to what extent ought the per- formance of a parody Mass (that is, a Mass based on earlier work) adopt not just the letter, but also the spirit of its model? The winds in the earlier recording helped James O'Donnell to evoke the martial atmosphere of the original Janequin song. The Sixteen take an altogether more placid approach throughout, with only the Credo rather more vigorous than the other movements. Whatever one's view of the matter, they defend their own with conviction: the Agnus Dei contains moments of great beauty, for which Guerrero too deserves some of the credit. It's a fine piece, and to have two contrasted interpretations of similar quality can only deepen one's appreciation of it.

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Also Purchased

Works Details

Clément Janequin (circa 1485 - 1558) : Escoutez tous gentilz, chanson for 4 voices ("La bataille de Marignan;" "La Guerre"), M. 1/3

Conductor: Harry Christophers
Ensemble: The Sixteen (Choir)
Running Time: 6 min. 13 sec.
Period Time: Renaissance