The Art of the Netherlands

The Art of the Netherlands
Early Music Consort of London - David Munrow
Virgin Edition 7243 5 61334 2 6 [CDx2]
Virgin classics « Veritas X2 » (EMI) 628497-2 [CDx2]

Contents:

    CD-1

    1. Secular songs

    Josquin Desprez
  1. Villotta: Scaramella va alla guerra
  2. Chanson: Allegez moy, doulce plaisant brunette (à 6)

    3. Anon., 16th c.:
  3. Chanson: Allegez moy, doulce plaisant brunette (lute)

    4. Josquin Desprez
  4. Frottola: El grillo è buon cantore

    5. Heinrich Isaac
  5. Quodlibet: Donna di dentro della tua casa

    6. Hayne van Ghizeghem:
  6. Rondeau: De tous biens plaine (original three-part chanson)

    7. Josquin Desprez:
  7. Rondeau: De tous biens plaine (four-part instrumental version)

    8. Alexander Agricola:
  8. Rondeau: De tous biens plaine I (three-part instrumental version)

    9. Alexander Agricola:
  9. Rondeau: De tous biens plaine II (three-part instrumental version)

    10. Antoine Brumel, adapt. from Johannes Ockeghem:
  10. Rondeau: Du tout plongiet / Fors seulement l'attente

    11. Anon., ca 1500:
  11. Quodlibet: Mijn morken gaf mij een jonck wijff

    12. Johannes Ghiselin (Verbonnet):
  12. Ghy syt die werste boven al

    13. Jacques Barbireau (or Jacob Isaac, or Jacob Obrecht):
  13. Ein fröhlich wesen (original three-part chanson)

    14. Paul Hofhaimer (attr.):
  14. Ein fröhlich wesen (keyboard solo version)

    15. Jacob Obrecht:
  15. Ein fröhlich wesen (four-part chanson)

    16. Johannes Ockeghem:
  16. Canon à 3: Prenez sur moi vostre exemple amoureux
  17. Virelai: Ma bouche rit

    18. Anon. (form. attr. to Josquin Desprez):
  18. Guillaume se va chaufer

    19. Josquin Desprez:
  19. Adieu mes amours (original four-part chanson)

    20. Anon., 16th c.:
  20. Adieu mes amours (keyboard solo version)

    21. Antoine Brumel:
  21. Fortuna desperata (original three-part chanson)

    22. Alexander Agricola:
  22. Fortuna desperata (six-part version)

    23. Anon. (form. attr. to Josquin Desprez):
  23. Fortuna desperata (three-part instrumental version)

    24. CD-2

    2. Mass movements

    Johannes Tinctoris: Missa "Sine nomine"
  24. Kyrie

    25. Antoine Brumel: Missa "Et ecce terrae motus"
  25. Gloria

    26. Josquin Desprez: Missa "De tous biens"
  26. Credo super

    27. Pierre de la Rue: Missa "Ave sanctissima Maria"
  27. Sanctus

    28. Heinrich Isaac: Missa "La bassadanza"
  28. Agnus Dei

    29. 3. Motets

    Jacob Obrecht:
  29. Motet: Haec Deum caeli

    30. Loyset Compère (or Juan Anchieta, or Francisco de Peñalosa):
  30. Motet: O bone Jesu

    31. Josquin Desprez:
  31. Motet: De Profundis (à 5)
  32. Motet: Benedicta es caelorum regina

    33. Jean Mouton:
  33. Motet: Nesciens mater virgo virum

    34. Anon. (form. attr. to Josquin Desprez):
  34. Motet: Inviolata, integra et casta es, Maria

    35. Johannes Ockeghem:
  35. Motet: Intemerata Dei mater

    36. Jacob Obrecht:
  36. Motet: Laudemus nunc Dominum

    37. Pierre de la Rue or Philippe Verdelot:
  37. Motet: Ave sanctissima Maria

Playing time: 131' 44"

Performers: The Early Music Consort of London [Sally Dunkley (soprano), Rosemary Hardy (soprano), James Bowman (countertenor), Charles Brett (countertenor), David James (countertenor), Martyn Hill (tenor), Paul Elliott (tenor), Rogers Covey-Crump (tenor), Leigh Nixon (tenor), John Potter (tenor), Ian Thompson (tenor), Geoffrey Shaw (baritone), Maurice Bevan (baritone), Terry Edwards (bass), David Munrow (soprano recorder, treble recorder, alto recorder, bass recorder, tenor dulcian), Alan Lumsden (alto recorder, tenor sackbut), Andrew van der Beek (alto recorder, bass dulcian), Michael Laird (cornett), Roger Brenner (alto sackbut), Eleanor Sloan (treble rebec), Nigel North (tenor rebec, bass viol, lute), Trevor Jones (tenor rebec, bass rebec, bass viol), Oliver Brookes (fiddle, bass rebec, bass viol), James Tyler (tenor viol, guitar, lute), Robert Spencer (lute), Christopher Hogwood (harp, regal, organ), David Corkhill (tambourine)] - David Munrow, dir.

Recording site and date:
Abbey Road Studios, London, England [02 & 04/1975];
Rel.: 2010 (2X)

Compilation: EMI SLS 5049 [3 Lps] - The Art of the Netherlands

Excerpts: [1]-[4], [6]-[10], [12]-[17], [19]-[28], [30]-[37] EMI Reflexe 64 215 [2CDs] - The Art of the Netherlands

Reviewed in:
Diapason (#-p.):
Gramophone (Vol./#-p.): 75/894-120 (november 1997)
Fanfare (Vol./#-p.):

Comments: I certainly agree with Fabrice Fitch who stated in his Gramophone review of this edition: "one of the most influential recordings of early music ever made".

Pierre-F. Roberge

This set is clearly a classic, even if some of the musicology has been superseded. Note the difference in tracks between this and the previous CD reissue. Also, feel free to consult the LP version for the original contents.

Another recording by Munrow, featuring secular songs from a wider span of time, from the medieval era through the 15th century:

The Art of Courtly Love
French secular music (1300-1475): Machaut / Binchois / Dufay
Early Music Consort of London - David Munrow
Virgin Veritas Edition 61284 (2 CDs)

Two larger compilation sets devoted to music from this era and somewhat later:

Musique de la Renaissance Music
L'Europe Musicale au XVe et XVIe siècles
Various Ensembles
Harmonia Mundi 290 8016.20 (5 CDs)
Sacred Music of the Renaissance
Pro Cantione Antiqua - Bruno Turner
Archiv 445 667 (7 CDs)

A recent compilation of music from the Medieval through Early Baroque eras, including many unique classic performances from the 1960s and later:

Gateway to Classical Music
Early Music
Various Artists
EMI Classics 65924

The latter citation also includes some other compilation citations.

To purchasing information for this disc.

To FAQ references to this recording.

To FAQ CD index page.

Todd M. McComb