La Rue: Requiem / Missa de Beata Virgine

La Rue: Requiem / Missa de Beata Virgine: Geistliche Musik der Hofkapelle Friedrichs des Weisen
Ensemble Officium - Wilfried Rombach
Christophorus 77268

Performers: Marion E. Herbst (soprano), Christine Rombach (soprano), Sibylle Henn (soprano), Laila Fink Pettersen (soprano), Miriam Barth (soprano), Berenike Lisker (soprano), Achim Plagge (tenor), Jörg Rieger (tenor), Gerhard Hölzle (tenor), Hans-Joachim Weber (tenor), Stefan Weible (tenor), Torsten Krug (tenor), Hartmut Petri (bass), Daniel Herrscher (bass), Alois Späth (bass), Lemi Reskovac (bass), Jens-Martin Ludwig (bass)

Playing time: 60'

Recording dates: February 2002 (Missa de Beata Virgine) & November 2003 (Requiem), Reutlingen-Gönningen; produced: 2004

The music of Pierre de la Rue (c.1452-1518) was once quite neglected, but is now available on several quality recordings. La Rue's position within the composers of his generation is still somewhat contested, but he was a major contemporary figure whose music sometimes requires repeated exposure to appreciate.

La Rue's Requiem is one of the most admired examples of the genre, and (unsually for the masters of the period, other than Josquin) there are multiple recordings of this piece. Other significant recordings:

La Rue: Requiem / Josquin: Missa Hercules Dux Ferrariae: New London Chamber Choir - James Wood
Amon Ra 24
La Rue: Missa L'homme armé / Missa Pro Defunctis: Ensemble Clément Janequin - Dominique Visse
Harmonia Mundi 901296
La Rue: Requiem / Wert: Motets: Ensemble Ars Nova - Bo Holten
Kontrapunkt 32001

Some other recordings devoted to masses by La Rue:

La Rue: Missa de septem doloribus: Capilla Flamenca - Dirk Snellings / Psallentes - Hendrik Vanden Abeele
Musique en Wallonie 0207
La Rue: Missa de Sancta Cruce / Quadris: Lamentations: Clerks' Group - Edward Wickham
AS&V "Gaudeamus" 307
La Rue: Missa Cum iocunditate / Motets: Hilliard Ensemble - Paul Hillier
EMI Reflexe 54082
La Rue: Missa de Feria / Missa Sancta Dei Genitrix: Gothic Voices - Christopher Page
Hyperion 67010
La Rue: Mass of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin / Easter Mass: Ars Antiqua de Paris - Michel Sanvoisin
Naxos 8.554656

And a recording featuring his secular music:

Pierre de la Rue: Chansons from the Album of Marguerite of Austria
Corvina Consort - Zoltán Kalmanovits
Hungaroton 32018

For other recordings devoted to La Rue, see the La Rue discography.

Finally, other recordings by the present ensemble:

Senfl: Komponist der Reformation: Ensemble Officium - Wilfried Rombach
Christophorus 77226
Palestrina: Le Vergini - Spiritual Madrigals / Missa Ave Regina caelorum: Ensemble Officium - Wilfried Rombach
Christophorus 77236
Sound of a Cathedral: Gregorianischer Gesang & Saxophon-Improvisationen aus dem Wormser Dom
Ensemble Officium - Wilfried Rombach
Christophorus 77243
Lamentatio: Musik zur Passion um 1500
Ensemble Officium - Wilfried Rombach
Christophorus 77253
Isaac: Missa Paschalis: Ensemble Officium - Wilfried Rombach
Christophorus 77267
Palestrina: Missa Papae Marcelli: Ensemble Officium - Wilfried Rombach
Christophorus 77275
Otfrid von Weissenberg: Liber Evangeliorum: Verse and Music from the Age of Charlemagne
Ensemble Officium - Wilfried Rombach
Christophorus 77279
Palestrina: Messa di Santa Cecilia: Ensemble Officium - Wilfried Rombach
Christophorus 77288
Bernard de Clairvaux: Medieval music of the Cistercians
Ensemble Officium - Wilfried Rombach
Christophorus 77301
La Cappella Sistina: Victoria / Allegri: Lamentazioni per la settima santa
Ensemble Officium - Wilfried Rombach
Christophorus 77345

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To FAQ references to this recording.

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Todd M. McComb

La Rue: Requiem / Missa de Beata Virgine

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