CORO cor16091 Giovanni Pierluigi da palestrina “These are some ofthemostspirited and individual “These To findout more about tours,The concert and to Sixteen, buyCDs visit “Surprises and rarities abound here...a daring journey of daringjourneyof “Surprises andrarities here...a abound “Christophers from draws hissingers, brilliantperformances “Sumptuous…Victoria could applyhimselfequally to Selva morale espirituale Vol.I Claudio Monteverdi performances of this repertory available.” ofthis repertory performances discovery.” Hail, Allegri, Anerio, Palestrina, Marenzio Music fromtheSistineChapel Palestrina: MissaPapae Marcelli Allegri: Miserere that The Sixteen embraces.”that The Sixteen Mariaandtothe sublimecontemplation the ofSancta gra jubilant fervour oftheMagnificat,jubilant fervour arange ofexpression both technicallyboth assured andvividlyimpassioned.” mophone Edit Mother oftheRedeemer www.thesixteen.com or' s Choice BBC Mus ic The Telegraph The guardian gra Magazine mophone

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volume palestrina 1 da Pierluigi Giovanni

Giovanni Pierluigi da volume 1 104 masses! But what we are doing is presenting each volume based around palestrina a single mass and theme relevant to that mass, in this case the Assumption, alongside some of his settings of the Song of Songs. Palestrina published 29 such settings. He apologised for possessing “light and vain ideas” and indeed Palestrina’s legacy and impact on “blushed and grieved” at presenting these sensual motets. Remember that the sacred music worldwide is second Song of Songs comes from that part of the Old Testament which was often to none. Composers through the considered too sensual and erotic to be read. It was originally Hebrew love centuries have studied and learnt poetry, written down possibly 300 years or so before the birth of Christ, but from his gift for writing exquisite these are texts which in Renaissance times were used in praise of the Virgin Mary. polyphony. Small wonder then that he has been called not only “the I have always regarded Palestrina as the master craftsman whose music hotograph: Marco Borggreve Marco hotograph: prince and father of music” but also P composers of all ages have attempted to emulate. He shapes his music in a “the saviour of church music”. At the beautifully sonorous way using a lot of suspensions but always coming back into final session of the Council of Trent, the line of the music. However it is this perfect craftsmanship that can sometimes there were many discussions about make Palestrina’s music sound all too perfect and occasionally academic. the use of polyphony and whether or We have attempted to achieve real ebb and flow in his music, not clipping not it should be banned. In 1607, the the ends of phrases but allowing the music to breathe, to convey the real composer Agostino Agazzari wrote meaning of the words and making our breaths part of the music as a whole. “music of the older kind is no longer There is a wealth of word painting in which to indulge, especially in his Song of in use because of the confusion and Babel of the words”. He went on to say that Songs motets. Our aim has been to be sensitive to this wonderful poetry and this music would have come very near to being banished from the holy church inject an energy and beauty into our performances that I hope goes some way by a sovereign pontiff had not Giovanni Palestrina found the remedy. to honour Palestrina as “the celebrated light of music”.

This is the first volume in our long-term project to honourP alestrina’s great art. I hasten to add that we are not endeavouring to record every note Palestrina penned - that would be more than a lifetime’s work considering he wrote

2 3 Giovanni Pierluigi da volume palestrina (1525-1594) 1 Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina Music in praise of the Virgin

1 Salve Regina 6.22 iovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, holder Papae Marcelli (probably Palestrina’s 2 Assumpta est Maria a 6 (Motet) 6.23 Gof the most prestigious musical best known work today) was written positions in the Roman Catholic Church, specifically in accord with the Council of Missa Assumpta est Maria was by his death in 1594 regarded as the Trent’s admonition that polyphonic church 3 Kyrie 4.48 greatest composer of his time. If Helen music should present the text clearly; 4 Gloria 5.00 of Troy was “the face that launched a and how this Mass therefore convinced a 5 Credo 7.05 thousand ships”, in the centuries after his committee of Cardinals not to abandon death Palestrina was the composer who polyphony in favour of Gregorian chant in 6 Sanctus 2.26 7 launched a thousand myths, and uniquely, the celebration of the Liturgy. It is true that Benedictus 2.22 even a full-length Romantic opera, Hans the Sistine Diaries record the singers of 8 Agnus Dei I & ii 5.16 Pfitzner’s Musikalische Legende: Palestrina. the Papal Chapel assembling in the house He was portrayed, erroneously, as the of a Cardinal Vitelli on the 28th April, 1565, 9 Ave Regina caelorum 4.29 archetypical solitary, tortured genius, to sing some music, including Masses, the perfector, even the originator, of to test whether the words could be Song of Songs: nos. 9-11 the “true” polyphonic style of the Late understood, “as their eminences desire”. bl Tota pulchra es, amica mea 2.28 Renaissance, which was the basis for the This Mass could have been sung then; bm Vulnerasti cor meum, soror mea 3.10 subsequent progressive development however, it is very probable that the Mass bn Sicut lilium inter spinas 3.49 and improvement of Music, and as the was written to celebrate the accession composer responsible for the “salvation” of Marcellus II in 1555 (he was Pope for a bo Diffusa est gratia 3.35 of church music. mere three weeks); and in style it simply bp Assumpta est Maria a 5 (Offertory) 2.24 reflects the general changes taking Palestrina’s first biographer, the place in Palestrina’s music and in that bq Ave Maria 4.27 imaginative Abbé Giuseppe Baini, writing of his contemporaries at that period. Total running time 64.10 in 1828, offers the story that the Missa We have the advantage today of being

4 5 familiar with the music of Palestrina’s there was an ever expanding market in praise of the Virgin, favoured by In light of this, Palestrina’s dedication of the predecessors (among them Josquin des for music books, of madrigals and other composers, even into our own times. Motettorum Quinque Vocibus Liber Quartus Près, Morales, Gombert, Festa, Animuccia) secular music, and religious music too, Originally Hebrew love poetry, it was ex Canticis Salomonis to Gregory XIII is and contemporaries, such as Lassus, which had to be suitable for any kind of written down maybe 300 years before the of interest to us. The dedication begins: the Anerio and Nanino brothers and singing group, accessible to the average birth of Christ, and has since been read ‘There are far too many poems with no other Victoria. And we can see how church man on the street. by Jews and Christians alike as a religious subject than love of a kind quite alien to the music changed over the century, with a allegory, despite its eroticism, in the Christian Faith’, (“Extant nimis multarum tendency towards higher voicings, simpler Palestrina’s four books of Madrigals, Roman Catholic Liturgy a description of poetarum carmina ...”). Palestrina goes on vocal lines, and greater clarity of the text, published in 1555, 1581, 1586 and 1594, the love between Christ and the Church, to apologise for having lavished his art on partly influenced, it must be admitted, by were a contribution to this market, with Mary and her Son, or the faithful and such things and for having associated with the reforms of the Councils of Trent, which some success, for the first book was Mary; or as St. John of the Cross alludes others corrupted by such passions (‘I would created a need for new music for revised reprinted no less than eight times by to it: “the exercise of love between the Soul have been of their number, and I blush, and and now standardised texts. 1605. The 1594 volume was of Madrigali and Jesus Christ, its Spouse”. I am sad...’, “... ex eo numero aliquandi fuisse Spirituali and served the same sort of me, et erubesco, et doleo...”). But there were other factors at work purpose as his fourth book of Motets of Yet it was hazardous territory for any as well, not least the improvements 1583/84, (on texts from The Song of Songs), who sought to go beyond the approved For this Palestrina has been accused of in printing technology throughout which was so successful that it had no less Latin version of the texts. Fray Luis de hypocrisy by some commentators; at the 16th century, which made printed than 11 reprints up to 1613. One of the León, a Spaniard, was imprisoned for the very least he was ambivalent. A man music books cheaper; and the rise of a results of the Counter Reformation was translating The Song into Castilian. Both of the world, and not without business monied middle-class, an educated laity, the popularisation of informal devotions St. Teresa of Ávila and St. John of the acumen, he had been married since 1547 who bought not only Books of Hours, and observances outside the services of Cross were persecuted for their ecstatic to one Lucrezia Gori, with three sons born but volumes of polyphonic music, for the Church. St. Philip Neri (b. Florence, writings. In Teresa’s case, she had to burn ca.1549, 1551 and 1558, two of them dying extra-liturgical activities, for personal 1515, d. 1595, beatified 1615) had been her Meditation on the Song of Songs. young in 1571 and 1572. His wife died or group devotions. In the early part at the forefront of transforming Rome’s Clearly the Church felt that the allegories suddenly in August, 1580. In November of the century, church music had been spiritual and cultural life in this way since could be convincingly spiritual in Latin, Palestrina petitioned the Pope, Gregory the realm of the highly trained male 1564, and Palestrina’s music must have but in the vernacular they would be XIII, to be allowed to enter the Priesthood, professional, the music itself in obscure, played a significant role too. dangerously erotic and carnal. For any receiving minor orders in December. arcane notation, copied in expensive writer or composer, there was a thin However on 24th and 26th February, and manuscripts, mostly inaccessible to the The Song of Songs has been a rich and dividing line between spiritual ecstasy on 5th March 1581, banns were published, amateur. By the mid-century, however stimulating source of texts for music and sexual passion. and on 28th March, Palestrina married 6 7 Virginia Dormoli, a young widow. His new Diffusa est gratia, for the Feast of the Once again, as with so many Marian pieces developing musical motifs and textures wife brought with her a substantial dowry Purification, opens with a strong motif by composers throughout the Renaissance, taken from another composition. and an established wine and fur business, of a rising 4th, repeated by each of the we note the influence of The Song of which gave Palestrina financial security for five voices in turn. Likewise Assumpta est Songs. The Motet Assumpta est Maria a 6 The Salve Regina, which opens this the rest of his life. Maria begins with a rising 5th. In both takes its text from several plainchant recital, was printed in the fifth book of cases, Palestrina shows his sensitivity to antiphons, and includes this well-known Motets of 1584, and is one of five for 5, In any case it is clear Palestrina loved tonality, setting out the two important quotation from The Song at the beginning 6, 8 or 12 voices attributed to Palestrina. these texts, whatever way he experienced notes within the mode, not in fact so far of part 2: Quae est ista...acies ordinata? The It is through-composed, (rather than their meaning, for he was perhaps unique from modern tonic/dominant. Earlier melodic outlines of the motifs used by alternatim polyphony/chant), as so many in publishing as many as 29 settings at composers were generally much more Palestrina are derived from or influenced of these settings were by the end of the once. And in our time these pieces have vague in this sense in the construction of by the plainchant (as with the rising century. After the opening chant incipit, been widely appreciated, by singers and their motifs. phrase sung by the sopranos at the very it proceeds in the style of a motet in two listeners alike, both for their poetry and beginning). The choice of voicing, with two parts. The chant is as usual paraphrased in for Palestrina’s felicitous music. In this Assumpta est Maria a 5, the Offertory, is tenors, gives a solidity and richness to the all the vocal lines, and the verse structure series of recordings by The Sixteen, a of course for the Feast of the Assumption middle of the texture, which balances well is still clearly apparent in the music. selection from the set, (and also from the (15th August) and the eponymous six- with the brilliance of the two sopranos. The words Et Iesum are emphasised (as Offertories), will be included on each CD. voice Mass and Motet are for the same Palestrina repeats the substantial closing was the fashion of the time): Palestrina occasion. Neither of the latter were printed section of part I (beginning at the triple- momentarily silences all the voices, then The two Offertory Motets included here, in Palestrina’s lifetime, nor afterwards, until time Gaudete...) at the close of part II, continues with three bars of almost plain Diffusa est gratia and Assumpta est Maria modern editions appeared in the 19th and so that the overall shape and balance is chords (likewise at O clemens) for this a 6, come from a two-volume collection of 20th centuries. Probably the earliest source very satisfying. important part of the text. The Antiphon 68 for all the seasons of the year, published for the Motet is the Roman Cappella Sistina is scored, once again, for Palestrina’s by Palestrina near the end of his life in choirbook seventy-six, dating from 1585 - The Mass Assumpta est Maria is based favourite SATTB voice combination. 1593. As with The Song of Songs motets, 1599. Both pieces are almost certainly mostly on musical material from the Palestrina’s favourite vocal sonority late works, written by a great master at Motet. For instance the opening sequence With the growth in the use of polyphony (SATTB) predominates. With Lassus, who the height of his powers, demonstrating at part two of the Motet is reworked in in churches from the late 15th century on, also composed a cycle, Palestrina was the his concern for sonority and colour, several places in the Mass, such as at the diverse uses of the Salve in the Liturgy first to present such texts in free-motet diversity of voice groupings and contrasts. Christe and at Benedictus. Perhaps 50 of meant settings of it soon far exceeded style; the few earlier polyphonic examples Notable too is the sophistication and the Palestrina’s 105 Masses use this ‘parody’ in number those of the three other had been chant-based. naturalness of his word setting. technique, borrowing and rearranging, great Marian Antiphons. As the changes 8 9 instigated by the Council of Trent filtered Palestrina’s word setting is exemplary: Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina through to the dioceses, composers now his subtle variation in voice groupings, were also required to give equal emphasis in note-against-note and more irregular Musica in lode della Vergine to Ave Regina, Alma Redemptoris and polyphonic intertwining of the parts, Regina caeli. Ave Maria too was honoured permits the text to stay at the forefront of iovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, che Trento, che la musica polifonica ecclesiastica by composers with more settings, a our experience of the music. For example, Gtenne le posizioni musicali piú presentasse il testo in maniera chiara; inoltre variety being provided for differing at “fructus ventris tui”, the three lower prestigiose all’interno della Chiesa Cattolica, questa Messa, secondo l’Abate, convinse occasions and resources. Palestrina wrote voices sing note-against-note; Palestrina alla sua morte, avvenuta nel 1594, veniva un gruppo di Cardinali a non abbandonare four versions of both Ave Regina caelorum then repeats the text in the three upper considerato il piú grande compositore del la polifonia in favore del Canto Gregoriano and Ave Maria; Lassus was rather more voices, varied by decoration with a suo tempo. Se Elena di Troia fu “il volto nella celebrazione della Liturgia. É ben prolific, certainly with Regina caeli. counterpoint in the tenor. Similarly at che lanció mille navi”, nei secoli a venire vero che i Diari della Sistina riportano i “Regina caeli” and “O Mater Dei”, the three Palestrina fu il compositore che lanció mille cantori della Cappella Papale riuniti nella The Ave Regina recorded here, once again lower voices sing first. And at “Ora pro miti, e, singolarmente, anche un’intera casa del Cardinal Vitelli il 28 aprile 1565, per with two tenor parts, is chant-based, in nobis” all five voices come together, with opera Romantica, cioé Musikalische cantare della musica, tra cui delle Messe, elegant imitative polyphony throughout the topmost voice, singing at the top of its Legende: Palestrina di Hans Pfiztner. Venne e per comprovare se le parole venissero the two partes. All the five voices allude to range, slightly delayed to great effect. erroneamente ritratto, quale l’archetipo capite, “come desiderano le loro Eminenze”. the chant without any lengthy quotation. del genio tormentato e solitario, il Questa Messa potrebbe essere stata cantata Palestrina was, and is, renowned for the perfezionatore, anzi l’originatore del “vero” allora; Comunque é molto probabile che Ave Maria is in brighter voicing, with two greatness of his Mass settings, Lassus stile polifonico del Tardo Rinascimento, la Messa fosse stata scritta per celebrare sopranos for variety. The opening theme more so for his Motets; but surely neither che fu la base del susseguente sviluppo l’accessione di Marcello II nel 1555 (fu Papa is instantly familiar, imitated in all voices, Lassus, nor anyone else, wrote anything progressivo e miglioramento della Musica, per 3 sole settimane); e nello stile riflette quoting the first four notes of the well- better than these ravishing pieces. e quale il compositore responsabile della semplicemente i cambiamenti generali, known chant. The flattened fifth note of “salvezza” della musica sacra. presenti nella musica di Palestrina e dei suoi the chant is slightly delayed, until the 4th © 2011 Martyn Imrie contemporanei, in quel periodo di tempo. bar (soprano two) and then again until the Il primo biografo di Palestrina, il fantasioso Oggi abbiamo il vantaggio di conoscere 8th (tenor), an effective subtlety typical of Abate Giuseppe Baini, scrivendo nel 1828, bene la musica dei suoi predecessori (tra i Palestrina, and is only sung by these two offre la storia che laMissa Papae Marcelli quali nominiamo Josquin de Près, Morales, voices. Elsewhere reference to the chant is (oggigiorno il lavoro meglio conosciuto Gombert, Festa, Animuccia), e dei suoi by allusion, fragmented in some or all of di Palestrina) fu scritto specificatamente contemporanei, quali Lasso, Anerio, e i the voices rather than direct quotation. secondo le ammonizioni del Concilio di fratelli Nanino e Victoria. E possiamo vedere 10 11 come la musica ecclesiastica é cambiata nel I quattro libri di madrigali di Palestrina, Liturgia Cattolica come descrizione l’ amore, di tipo del tutto alieno alla Fede corso di un secolo, con la tendenza verso i pubblicati nel 1555, 1581, 1586 e 1594 dell’amore tra Cristo e la Chiesa, Maria e il Cristiana’ (Extant nimis multarum poetarum registri acuti, linee vocali piú semplici, e contribuirono con un certo successo a questo Figlio, o il fedele e Maria; oppure nel modo carmina) Palestrina prosegue con lo scusarsi una maggiore chiarezza del testo, in parte mercato, dato che il primo fu ristampato in cui San Giovanni della Croce vi si riferisce per aver dedicato la sua arte a tali cose e influenzata, deve essere ammesso, dalle niente di meno che otto volte entro il 1605. “L’ esercizio dell’amore tra l’Anima e Gesú per essersi associato con altri corrotti da tali Riforme del Concilio di Trento, che creó Il volume del 1594 era di Madrigali Spirituali Cristo, suo Sposo”. passioni (‘Io sarei stato della loro schiera, e la necessitá di musica nuova per un testo e serví lo stesso scopo del suo quarto libro ne arrossisco e me ne dolgo’… “ex eo numero revisionato e standardizzato. di mottetti del 1583/84 (su testo tratto dal Eppure era territorio pericoloso per aliquandi fuisse me, et erubesco et doleo”….). Cantico dei Cantici) il quale ebbe un cosí chiunque cercasse di andar oltre la C’erano peró anche altri fattori in gioco, e grande successo che venne ristampato ben approvata versione latina del testo. Fra Perció Palestrina é stato accusato di ipocrisia non di meno i miglioramenti nella tecnica undici volte entro il 1613. Uno degli effetti Luis de León, spagnolo, fu imprigionato da alcuni commentatori; lui fu, come della stampa attraverso il XVIsec, che resero della Controriforma fu la popolarizzazione per aver tradotto il Cantico in castigliano. minimo, ambivalente. Uomo del mondo, piú economici i libri di musica stampati; delle devozioni informali e delle pratiche Ambedue Teresa d’Ávila e San Giovanni e non scarso di acume commerciale, era e l’ascesa di un ceto medio affluente, un religiose al di fuori del rito ecclesiastico. San della Croce furono perseguitati per i sposato fin dal 1547 a una certa Lucrezia laicato colto, che non solo comprava I Filippo Neri (Firenze 1515, †1595, beatificato loro scritti estatici. Nel caso di Teresa, lei Gori, con tre figli nati circa il 1549, 1551 Libri delle Ore, ma anche volumi di musica nel 1615) era stato all’avanguardia della dovette bruciare le sue Meditazioni sul e il 1558; due di essi morirono giovani polifonica per attivitá extra liturgiche, per trasformazione della vita spirituale e Cantico dei Cantici. É chiaro che la Chiesa nel 1571 e nel 1572. Sua moglie morí uso devozionale personale o per gruppi culturale romana in questo senso, fin dal sentiva che tali allegorie potevano essere improvvisamente, nell’agosto del 1580. di preghiera. Agli inizi del secolo la musica 1564, e la musica di Palestrina vi deve aver spirituali in maniera convincente in latino, Nel novembre di quell’anno Palestrina fece ecclesiastica era stata il dominio dell’assai avuto un ruolo importante anch’essa. mentre nel vernacolo sarebbero diventate richiesta a Papa Gregorio XIII di permettergli istruito professionista, di sesso maschile, e pericolosamente erotiche e carnali. Per di accedere al sacerdozio, ricevendo gli la musica stessa era di per sé in un’arcana Il Cantico dei Cantici é stato fonte ricca ogni scrittore o compositore che fosse, c’era ordini minori di dicembre. Nonostante ció il ed oscura notazione, copiata in manoscritti e stimolante di ispirazione testuale per una sottile linea di separazione tra l’estasi 24 e 26 febbraio e il 5 marzo 1581 vennero costosi, generalmente inaccessibili ai musiche a lode della Vergine, privilegiato spirituale e la passione sessuale. pubblicati dei bandi, e il 28 marzo seguente dilettanti. Verso la metá del secolo, invece, dai compositori anche nei nostri tempi. Palestrina sposó la giovane vedova Virginia c’era un mercato in espansione per i libri di Originariamente poesia d’amore ebraica, In luce di ció, é per noi interessante la dedica Dormoli. La sua nuova sposa portó con sé musica, di madrigali e altra musica profana, venne annotata forse 300 anni a.C., ed é di Palestrina a Gregorio XIII nei Motettorum una dote notevole e un’attivitá commerciale e anche di musica religiosa, che doveva stata interpretata fin d’ allora, sia da Ebrei Quinque Vocibus Liber Quartus ex Canticis ben avviata in pellicce e vino, che dette a essere adattabile ad ogni tipo di gruppo che Cristiani, quale un’allegoria religiosa, Salomonis. Comincia cosí: ‘Ci sono anche Palestrina una stabilitá finanziaria per il vocale, e accessibile all’uomo comune. nonostante il suo carattere erotico; nella troppe poesie con null’altro soggetto che resto della vita. 12 13 Ad ogni modo é ben chiaro che di quarta ascendente ripetuta, a turno, Ancora una volta, come accade per molti riarrangiando, sviluppando motivi musicali Palestrina amava questi testi, in qualunque da ognuna delle cinque voci. Similmente pezzi Mariani del Rinascimento, notiamo e tessiture prese da altre composizioni. modo ne apprezzasse il significato, in Assumpta est Maria comincia con una l’influsso del Cantico dei Cantici. Il testo quanto fu forse unico nel pubblicarne quinta ascendente. In tutti e due i casi del mottetto Assumpta est Maria a 6 viene Il Salve regina, con cui si apre questo ventinove contemporanee interpretazioni Palestrina mostra la sua sensibilitá alla ripreso da varie antifone in canto recital fu stampato nel quinto libro dei musicali. Ai nostri tempi inoltre questi pezzi tonalitá, esponendo le due note importanti gregoriano, e include questa ben nota mottetti del 1584, ed é uno dei cinque sono stati grandemente apprezzati, dai all’interno del modo, infatti non cosí citazione dal Cantico all’inizio della seconda a 5, 6, 8 o a 12 voci attribuiti a Palestrina. cantanti quanto dagli ascoltatori, sia per distante dal moderno rapporto tonica/ parte: Quae est ista…acies ordinata? La É composto integralmente (invece che la loro poesia che per la ben appropriata dominante. I compositori precedenti erano linea melodica dei temi usati da Palestrina alternando polifonia e gregoriano) come musica di Palestrina. In questa nuova serie in generale molto piú vaghi in questo senso é derivata o influenzata dal gregoriano erano molte composizioni su tale testo, di registrazioni di The Sixteen, una scelta nella costruzione dei temi. (come nella frase ascendente cantata dai verso la fine del secolo. Dopo l’incipit selezionata dal gruppo (e anche dagli soprani all’inizio). La scelta dei registri, con gregoriano d’apertura, procede nello stile Offertori) verrá inclusa in ogni CD. L’Offertorio Assumpta est Maria a 5 é due tenori, rende una soliditá e ricchezza al di un mottetto a due parti. Il gregoriano naturalmente per la Festa dell’Assunzione centro della tessitura, che si equilibria bene viene come al solito parafrasato in tutte le I due Mottetti da Offertorio qui inclusi, (15 Agosto) e la Messa e Mottetto a sei con la brillantezza dei soprani. Palestrina linee vocali, e la struttura del verso é ancora Diffusa est gratia ed Assumpta est Maria voci, che portano lo stesso titolo, sono per ripete la notevole sezione di chiusura chiaramente apparente nella musica. a 6 derivano da una collezione in due la medesima occasione. Nessuno dei due della prima parte (che comincia al tempo Le parole Et Jesum vengono enfatizzate volumi di sessant’otto mottetti, per tutte le fu stampato durante la vita di Palestrina, ternario di Gaudete...) alla fine della parte (secondo la moda del tempo): Palestrina stagioni dell’anno, pubblicati da Palestrina e nemmeno dopo, fino a che edizioni seconda cosícché la forma e l’equilibrio del momentaneamente mette a tacere tutte verso la fine della sua vita nel 1593. Come moderne ne apparvero nel XIX e XX tutto sono assai soddisfacenti. le voci, poi continua con tre battute di per i mottetti del Cantico dei Cantici, secolo. Probabilmente la fonte piú antica quasi semplici accordi (come in O Clemens predomina la preferita sonoritá vocale di del mottetto é nel libro del Coro 76 della La Messa Assumpta est Maria é basata per ) per questa parte importante del testo. Palestrina(SATTB). Insieme a Lasso, che ne Cappella Sistina datato 1585-1599. Ambedue lo piú su materiale musicale dal mottetto. L’antifona é ancora una volta messa in compose un ciclo, Palestrina fu il primo i pezzi sono quasi certamente opere tarde, Per esempio la sequenza di apertura musica per SATTB, la combinazione vocale a presentare tali testi in stile di mottetto scritte da un gran maestro al sommo delle della seconda parte del Mottetto viene preferita da Palestrina. libero; I piú antichi esempi polifonici erano proprie capacitá creative, che rivela la sua rielaborata in diversi punti della Messa, basati su canti gregoriani. attenzione a sonoritá e colore, diversitá di come per esempio al Christe e al Benedictus. Con l’accrescere dell’uso di polifonia raggruppamenti di voce e contrasti. Notevole Forse ben cinquanta delle centocinque nelle chiese dal tardo XVsec. in poi, l’uso Diffusa est gratia per la Festa della anche é la sofisticatezza e la naturalezza della messe di Palestrina usano la tecnica disparato del Salve nella Liturgia significó Purificazione, si apre con un forte tema messa in musica del testo. della parodia, prendendo a prestito e che tali versioni presto eccedettero in 14 15 numero quelle delle tre altre grandi una sottigliezza d’effetto tipica di Palestrina, antifone Mariane. Mentre i cambiamenti ed é cantata soltanto da queste due voci. Ogni istigati dal Concilio di Trento filtravano fino riferimento al gregoriano, altrove, vien fatto alle diocesi, ai compositori veniva richiesto per allusione, frammentato in alcune se non di dare enfasi uguale all’ Ave Regina, Alma in tutte le voci, piuttosto che in una citazione Redemptoris e Regina Caeli. Anche l’Ave diretta. La messa in musica del testo di Maria venne onorata dai compositori Palestrina é esemplare: la minima variazione con piú messe in musica,e una svariata nel mettere insieme le voci, nel nota-contro- quantitá veniva creata per sopperire a nota, e negli intrecci polifonici delle parti diverse occasioni e risorse. Palestrina scrisse piú irregolari, permette al testo di restare quattro versioni per ambedue l’Ave Regina all’avanguardia del nostro apprezzamento Coelorum e l’Ave Maria. Lasso fu assai piú della musica. Per esempio, al “fructus ventris Texts & Translations prolifico, certamente con il Regina Caeli. tui”, le tre voci inferiori cantano nota-contro– nota; Palestrina poi ripete il testo nelle tre L’Ave Regina qui registrato ancora una voci superiori, variate con abbellimenti e un 1 Salve Regina volta con due parti per tenore, é basato contrappunto nel tenore. Similmente nel sul gregoriano, in un’elegante polifonia Regina Caeli e nel Mater Dei le tre voci inferiori Salve Regina, misericordia: Hail, Queen of mercy: imitativa per tutte le due parti. Tutte le cantano prima. E all’Ora pro nobis, tutte le Vita dulcedo, spes nostra salve. our life, our sweetness and hope, hail. cinque voci alludono al canto gregoriano cinque voci si riuniscono insieme, con la piú Ad te clamamus, exsules, To thee we cry, the banished ones, senza alcuna lunga citazione. acuta, cantando alla sommitá dell’estensione, filii Evae. children of Eve. con appena un ritardo, per ottenere un Ad te suspiramus To thee we send up our sighs, gementes et flentes mourning and weeping L’Ave Maria é in una vocalitá di registri piú maggiore effetto. in hac lacrimarum valle. in this our vale of tears. chiara, con due soprani, per cambiare. Il tema Eia ergo, advocata nostra, illos tuos Thou, therefore our advocate, di apertura é immediatamente familiare, Palestrina fu, ed é ancora, rinomato per la misericordes oculos ad nos converte. turn thine eyes of mercy towards us. imitato in tutte le voci, citando le prime magnificenza delle sue Messe, Lasso piú per i Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui, And show us Jesus, blessed fruit of thy womb, quattro note del ben noto canto gregoriano. mottetti; ma di sicuro né Lasso né alcun altro nobis post hoc exsilium ostende. after this our exile. La quinta nota del canto, abbassata di un compositore, scrisse mai niente che potesse O clemens: O kind, semitono, del gregoriano é leggermente essere migliore di questi pezzi affascinanti. O pia: O merciful, ritardata, fino alla quarta battuta (secondo © Copyright of translation O dulcis Virgo Maria. O sweet Mary, ever Virgin. soprano) e poi ancora fino all’ottava (tenore), Alessandra Testai 2011 16 17 palestrina palestrina

2 Assumpta est Maria a 6 4 Gloria Assumpta est Maria in caelum: Mary has been taken up to heaven: Gloria in excelsis Deo. Glory be to God on high. gaudent Angeli, the Angels rejoice, Et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis. And on earth peace to men of good will. laudantes benedicunt Dominum. they bless the Lord praising him. Laudamus te, benedicimus te, We praise Thee, we bless Thee, adoramus te, glorificamus te. we worship Thee, we glorify Thee. Gaudete et exsultate omnes recti corde. Rejoice and exult all ye of upright heart, Gratias agimus tibi We give thanks to Thee Quia hodie Maria Virgo for the Virgin Mary propter magnam gloriam tuam. for Thy great glory. cum Christo regnat in aeternum. reigns with Christ for ever. Domine Deus, Rex caelestis, Lord God, heavenly King, Deus Pater omnipotens. God the Father almighty. Quae est ista quae progreditur Who is she who goes forth Domine Fili unigenite, Iesu Christe. O Lord, the only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ. quasi aurora consurgens, like the growing dawn, Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris. Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father. pulchra ut luna, electa ut sol, Beautiful as the moon, brilliant as the sun, Qui tollis peccata mundi, Thou that takest away the sins of the world, terribilis ut castrorum acies ordinata? terrible as battle camps in full array? miserere nobis. have mercy upon us. Qui tollis peccata mundi, Thou that takest away the sins of the world, Gaudete et exsultate omnes recti corde. Rejoice and exult all ye of upright heart, suscipe deprecationem nostram. receive our prayer. Quia hodie Maria Virgo cum Christo regnat for the Virgin Mary reigns with Christ Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, Thou that sittest at the right hand of the Father, in aeternum. for ever. miserere nobis. have mercy upon us. Quoniam tu solus Sanctus, For Thou only art holy, tu solus Dominus, Thou only art the Lord, tu solus Altissimus Iesu Christe. Thou only art the most high, Jesus Christ. Cum Sancto Spiritu With the Holy Spirit Missa Assumpta est Maria in gloria Dei Patris. Amen. in the glory of God the Father. Amen. 3 Kyrie 5 Kyrie eleison. Lord have mercy on us. Credo Christe eleison. Christ have mercy on us. Credo in unum Deum I believe in God Kyrie eleison. Lord have mercy on us. Patrem omnipotentem, the Father almighty, factorem caeli et terrae, Maker of heaven and earth, 18 19 palestrina palestrina visibilium omnium et invisibilium. and of all things visible and invisible. adoratur et conglorificatur; is worshipped and glorified; Et in unum Dominum, Iesum Christum, And in one Lord Jesus Christ, qui locutus est per Prophetas. Who spake by the prophets. Filium Dei unigenitum, the only begotten Son of God, Et unam sanctam catholicam And I believe in one holy, Catholic et ex Patre natum ante omnia saecula. begotten of His Father before all worlds. et apostolicam ecclesiam. and Apostolic Church. Deum de Deo, lumen de lumine, God of God, Light of Light, Confiteor unum baptisma I acknowledge one Baptism Deum verum de Deo vero, very God of very God, in remissionem peccatorum. for the remission of sins. genitum, non factum, begotten, not made, Et expecto resurrectionem mortuorum And I look for the resurrection of the dead consubstantialem Patri, being of one substance with the Father, et vitam venturi saeculi. Amen. and the life of the world to come. Amen. per quem omnia facta sunt. by Whom all things were made. Qui, propter nos homines, Who for us men, 6 et propter nostram salutem, and for our salvation, Sanctus descendit de caelis. came down from heaven. Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus Holy, Holy, Holy Et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto And was incarnate by the Holy Ghost Dominus Deus Sabaoth. Lord God of hosts. ex Maria virgine, et homo factus est. of the Virgin Mary and was made man. Pleni sunt caeli et terra gloria tua. Heaven and earth are full of Thy glory. Crucifixus etiam pro nobis And was crucified also for us Osanna in excelsis. Hosanna in the highest. sub Pontio Pilato; under Pontius Pilate. passus et sepultus est. He suffered and was buried. Et resurrexit tertia die, And the third day He rose again 7 Benedictus secundum scripturas; according to the scriptures; et ascendit in caelum, and ascended into heaven, Benedictus qui venit Blessed is He that cometh sedet ad dexteram Patris. and sitteth at the right hand of the Father. in nomine Domini. in the name of the Lord. Et iterum venturus est cum gloria And He shall come again with glory Osanna in excelsis. Hosanna in the highest. iudicare vivos et mortuos, to judge both the quick and the dead; cuius regni non erit finis. Whose kingdom shall have no end. 8 Agnus Dei I & II Et in Spiritum Sanctum And I believe in the Holy Ghost Dominum et vivificantem, the Lord and giver of life, Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi: Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, qui ex Patre Filioque procedit; Who proceedeth from the Father and the Son; miserere nobis. have mercy on us. qui cum Patre et Filio simul Who with the Father and the Son together Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi: Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, dona nobis pacem. grant us peace.

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9 Ave Regina caelorum bm Vulnerasti cor meum, soror mea

Ave Regina caelorum, Hail, Queen of Heaven. Vulnerasti cor meum, Thou hast ravished my heart, Ave Domina Angelorum: Hail, Mistress of the Angels. soror mea, sponsa; my sister, my bride, Salve radix sancta Hail, sacred stem, vulnerasti cor meum thou hast ravished my heart ex qua mundo lux est orta: from whom light for the world has arisen. in uno oculorum tuorum, with one of thine eyes, Gaude gloriosa, Rejoice most glorious Virgin, et in uno crine colli tui. and with one hair of thy neck. super omnes speciosa: beautiful above all others. Quam pulchrae sunt mammae tuae, How beautiful are thy breasts, Vale, valde decora, Hail and farewell, most gracious one, soror mea sponsa. my sister, my bride. et pro nobis semper Christum exora. plead always with Christ for us. Pulchriora sunt ubera tua vino, Thy breasts are more beautiful than wine, et odor unguentorum tuorum and the fragrance of thy scent super omnia aromata. is above all perfumes. (Canticum Canticorum IV, 9-10) Song of Songs • nos. 9-11 bn Sicut lilium inter spinas bl Tota pulchra es, amica mea Sicut lilium inter spinas, As the lily among the thorns, Tota pulchra es, amica mea, All fair thou art, my love, sic amica mea inter filias. so is my love among the maidens. et macula non est in te. there is no fault in thee. Sicut malus inter ligna silvarum, As the apple tree among the woods, Veni de Libano, sponsa mea, Come forth from Lebanon, sic dilectus meus inter filios. so is my beloved among young men. veni de Libano, my bride, come from Lebanon, Sub umbra illius I sat beneath the shadows veni coronaberis, come, thou shalt be crowned, quem desideraveram sedi, of him whom I desired, de capite Amana, come from the peak of Amana, et fructus eius dulcis gutturi meo. and his fruit was sweet to my tongue. de vertice Sanir et Hermon, from the heights of Sanir and Hermon, de cubilibus leonum, from the lairs of lions (Canticum Canticorum II, 2-3) de montibus pardorum. and the mountains of the leopards. • (Canticum Canticorum IV, 7-8)

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Harry Christophers is known internationally bo Diffusa est gratia as founder and conductor of The Sixteen as well as a regular guest conductor for many of the major symphony Diffusa est gratia in labiis tuis: Grateful praise pours forth from your lips, orchestras and opera companies worldwide. He has directed propterea benedixit te Deus in aeternum, since God has blessed you for eternity, The Sixteen choir and orchestra throughout Europe, America et in saeculum saeculi. and through the age of ages. and the Far East gaining a distinguished reputation for his work in Renaissance, Baroque and twentieth-century music. In 2000 he instituted the Choral Pilgrimage, a national tour hotograph: Marco Borggreve Marco hotograph: bp Assumpta est Maria a 5 (Offertory) of English cathedrals from York to Canterbury in music from P the pre-Reformation, as The Sixteen’s contribution to the Assumpta est Maria in caelum: Mary has been taken up to heaven: millennium celebrations. It raised awareness of this historic gaudent Angeli, the Angels rejoice, repertoire so successfully that the Choral Pilgrimage in the laudantes benedicunt Dominum. they bless the Lord praising him. UK is now central to The Sixteen's annual artistic programme. Alleluia. Alleluia. In 2008 Harry Christophers was appointed Artistic Director of Boston’s Handel and Haydn Society; he is also Principal Guest Conductor of both the Granada Symphony Orchestra and bq Ave Maria the Orquesta de la Comunidad de Madrid. As well as enjoying a very special partnership with the BBC Philharmonic, with whom he won a Diapason d’Or, he is a regular guest Ave Maria, gratia plena: Hail Mary, full of grace, conductor with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields and has also conducted the Hallé, Dominus tecum: the Lord be with you. the London Symphony Orchestra and the San Francisco Symphony. benedicta tu in mulieribus, Blessed art thou amongst women Increasingly busy in opera, Harry Christophers has conducted Monteverdi’s Il ritorno et benedictus fructus ventris tui Iesus. and blessed the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. d’Ulisse, Gluck’s Orfeo, Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, Purcell’s King Arthur and Rameau’s Platée for Sancta Maria, Regina caeli, dulcis et pia, Holy Mary, Queen of Heaven, sweet and faithful, Lisbon Opera. After an acclaimed English National Opera debut with The Coronation O Mater Dei: ora pro nobis peccatoribus, O Mother of God, pray for us sinners, of Poppea he has since returned for Gluck’s Orfeo and Handel’s Ariodante, as well as ut cum electis te videamus. that we may see thee with the chosen. conducting the UK premiere of Messager’s opera Fortunio for Grange Park Opera. He conducts regularly at Buxton Opera. Harry Christophers is an Honorary Fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford, as well as the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and has been awarded the Honorary Degree of Doctor • of Music from the University of Leicester.

24 25 After three decades of world-wide performance and recording, The Sixteen is recognised as one of the world’s greatest ensembles. Its special reputation for performing early English polyphony, masterpieces of the Renaissance, Baroque and early Classical periods, and a diversity of twentieth-century music, all stems from the passions of conductor and founder, Harry Christophers. The Sixteen tours internationally giving regular performances at the major concert halls and festivals. At home in the UK, The Sixteen are ‘The Voices of Classic FM’ as well as Associate Artists of Bridgewater Hall, Manchester. The group also promotes the Choral Pilgrimage, an annual tour of the UK’s finest cathedrals. The Sixteen’s period-instrument orchestra has taken part in acclaimed semi-staged performances of Purcell’s Fairy Queen in Tel Aviv and London, a fully-staged production of Purcell’s King Arthur in Lisbon’s Belem Centre, and new productions of Monteverdi’s Il ritorno d’Ulisse at Lisbon Opera House and The Coronation of Poppea at English National Opera. www.thesixteen.com Over one hundred recordings reflect The Sixteen’s quality in a range of work spanning the Photograph: Mark Harrison music of five hundred years. In 2009 they won the coveted Classic FM Gramophone Artist of the Year Award and the Baroque Vocal Award for Handel’s Coronation Anthems. The Sixteen also Recording Producer: Mark Brown feature in the highly successful BBC television series, Sacred Music, presented by Simon Russell recording Engineer: Mike Hatch (Floating Earth) Beale. In 2011 the group launched a new training programme for young singers called Genesis Recorded at: Church of St. Alban the Martyr, Holborn, London, February 2011 Sixteen. Aimed at 18 to 23 year-olds, this is the UK’s first fully-funded choral programme for Cover image: Statue of Palestrina in Palestrina, Italy. young singers designed specifically to bridge the gap from student to professional practitioner. photographer: Roberto Piperno http://www.romeartlover.it/Palestrina.html Design: andrew Giles: [email protected] Soprano Julie Cooper, Grace Davidson, Sally Dunkley, 2011 The Sixteen Productions Ltd. The Voices of Kirsty Hopkins, Alexandra Kidgell, Charlotte Mobbs © 2011 The Sixteen Productions Ltd. Made in Great Britain alto Ian Aitkenhead, David Clegg, William Missin, Christopher Royall For further information about recordings on CORO or live performances and tours by tenor Simon Berridge, Jeremy Budd/Tom Raskin, Mark Dobell, Matthew Long The Sixteen, call: +44 (0) 20 7936 3420 or email: [email protected] www.thesixteen.com Bass Ben Davies, Eamonn Dougan, Tim Jones, Rob Macdonald

CORO Giovanni Pierluigi da volume CORO cor16091 palestrina 1

Hail, Mother of the Redeemer Christophers/The Sixteen Palestrina - Volume 1 The Sixteen/Harry Christophers cor16088cor16091 Missa Assumpta est Maria 1 Salve Regina 6.22 Salve Regina 2 Assumpta est Maria a 6 (Motet) 6.23 Ave Maria Missa Assumpta est Maria 3 Kyrie 4.48 Arguably the greatest composer of liturgical music 4 Gloria 5.00 of all time, Palestrina was a towering figure in 5 Credo 7.05 Renaissance polyphony. On this disc The Sixteen 6 Sanctus 2.26 explores some of the outstanding music he wrote 7 Benedictus 2.22 for the Assumption including his Mass and Motet 8 Agnus Dei I & II 5.16 Assumpta est Maria. Without doubt, Palestrina 9 Ave Regina caelorum 4.29 was the great master of all Papal composers and his spiritual craft and harmonic vitality fulfilled Song of Songs: nos. 9-11 the needs of the Vatican. The Ave Maria and Salve bl Tota pulchra es, amica mea 2.28 Regina, and the Offertory, also entitled Assumpta est bm Vulnerasti cor meum, soror mea 3.10 Maria, are glorious examples of such work and can bn Sicut lilium inter spinas 3.49 be heard in all their splendour on this recording. bo Diffusa est gratia 3.35 bp Assumpta est Maria a 5 (Offertory) 2.24 The Sixteen bq Ave Maria 4.27 Harry Christophers Total running time 64.10 cor16088 cor16091 Palestrina - Volume 1 The Sixteen/Harry Christophers Palestrina - Volume Hail, Mother of the Redeemer Christophers/The Sixteen

8 2 8 0 2 1 6 0 9 1 2 1 © The Sixteen Productions 2011 Made in EU The Sixteen Productions 2011 Booklet enclosed CORO N