Performers: Trebles: Oliver Johnston, Lewis Wilson, Thomas Carey, Howard Ferguson, Christopher Neale, Jerome Finnis, Jonathan Belcher, Benedict Rowe, Guy Head, Timothy Bowles, Alexander Hunt; Altos: William Missin, Jeremy Burrows, Roger Barron, Geoffrey Cryer; Tenors: Philip Cave, Toby Spence, Justin Lee, Mark Anderson; Basses: Colin Gordon, John Bernays, Paul Grier, Tim West, Robert Hollingworth
Playing time: 68'
Recording date: July 1989
Le Jeune's Mass is composed "freely," i.e. without a unifying theme; it is one of the most contrapuntally complex masses of the period. Clear reasons for the Protestant Le Jeune writing a mass are unknown, but basic speculation is that he wanted to contribute to this musical tradition.
The polyphony is sung by a large choir of men and boys; the performance is emotional and relatively clear (given the bulk of such an ensemble).
The Magnificat performance alternates Le Jeune's polyphony with the organ verses written by Jehan Titelouze (c.1563-1633); the mass includes an offertory movement by the obscure organ composer Charles Racquet.
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Todd M. McComb