Search - Ludwig Senfl, Johann [1] [Composer] Walter, Thomas Stolzer :: The Spirit Of The Renaissance

Fine survey of German Renaissance music

02/11/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Cordes' Weser Renaissance recorded this in 1993 but it is just as excellent as anything they have recorded in the last couple of years. It is difficult to think of a better selection of early 16th Century German music.The instrumental tracks are not as appealing to this listener as the vocal (frankly prior to Praetorius and Scheidt German wind music was a bit too dependant on the noisesome city waits), but by the third interlude Cordes' decision to intersperse the vocal pieces with instrumental settings is justified.The CD opens with a burst of chalmeaux from Senfl which sounds disconcertingly like a bunch of 1970s kids blowing plastic yazoos, but then a minute later one is in the monastery with an introitus from Isaac and Psalm70 by Walter. Or almost in the monastery - the womens' voices on the soprano line are effective but not `authentic'. The same contrast is repeated between a robust brass melodia from Stoltzer and a setting of Psalm100 by Josquin Desprez. The anonymous lamentanza which follows is one of the best pieces on the CD. There then follows a setting by Willaert from Vergil's Aenid IV:651 where the poet says goodbye to his "sweet skins". Tracks [7] [9][10][11] present German villanellas by Isaac and Lechner, unfortunately without giving the name of the poets. [13] is a gloria by Philipp Dulichius, who passes unmentioned in the notes. [14] is a deadly serious lectio from Job10:8-12 by Lassus, and then following an instrumental setting of a Lassus motet the CD concludes with Psalm66:1-4 firmly set by Hassler. Texts in Latin or German, and translations in German only. Timing 61'01""