Performers: Laura Fabris (soprano), Francesca Cassinari (soprano), Lorenza Donaldini (soprano), Maria Teresa Nesci (soprano), Gianluca Ferrarini (tenor), Raffaele Giordani (tenor), Giuseppe Maletto (tenor), Fabio Furnari (baritone), Marco Scavazza (baritone), Mauro Borgioni (baritone), David Yacus (sackbut), Mauro Morini (sackbut), Guido Magnano (organ), Svetlana Fomina (fiddle), Efix Puleo (fiddle)
Playing time: 72'
Recording date: July & October 2008 (Roletto, Italy); released: 2009
Reviewed in:
Diapason (#-p.): 576-82 (Jan. 2010)
Fanfare (Vol./#-p.): 33/4-159 (March-April 2010)
Track #1 has been attributed to Busnois. The others came from the famous Neapolitan manuscript of six anonymous masses on L'homme armé. The six masses themselves treat the tune in different, but systematic, ways. The sixth mass gathers together many of the elements presented individually in the first five. This cycle, although not entirely complete, is therefore among the most impressive contrapuntal legacies of the period.
The notes for this recording do not make any further assurances or present any additional evidence that these masses are by Busnois. They note that this is the most widely accepted opinion, and also note a dissenting opinion that they are by Firminus Caron. The 6th mass, the one presented completely here, is the most cryptic of all based on the instructions given regarding the canons, and is also missing parts of the Agnus, reconstructed here. Sections of the first five masses are selected in order to highlight the manipulations given the L'homme armé theme in the other masses.
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Todd M. McComb