An Anthology of Mass Movements and Motets for Four Voices

Selected and introduced by Willem Elders

Now available!

Having published two editions of the collected works of Josquin des Prez,* the Koninklijke Vereniging voor Nederlandse Muziekgeschiedenis commemorates the 500th anniversary of the composer’s death with a jubilee anthology of his sacred music. It contains the five items of the Ordinary taken from different cycles, which illustrate the compositional devices that Josquin, from the early 1480s onwards, had at his disposal. The seven motets, likewise for four voices, testify to the large repertoire of texts that underlies most of the sacred music in the Renaissance. Inspired by both the Old and New Testament, as well as texts written in honour of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary, these works too illustrate various compositional procedures.

The compositions included in this anthology are reproduced from the New Josquin Edition, which is the result of the cooperation of a team of nineteen scholars from the United States, England, Germany, and the Netherlands, who in the last three decades have been working under the supervision of an international editorial board.

Willem Elders

Contents:

Mass Movements

Kyrie from Missa L’homme armé sexti toni

Gloria from Missa Hercules Dux Ferrarie

Credo from Missa Faysant regretz

Sanctus from Missa Gaudeamus

Agnus dei from Missa Sine nomine

 

Motets

Ecce tu pulchra es

Domine, ne in furore

Usquequo, domine, oblivisceris me

Missus est Gabriel angelus

O bone et dulcis domine

Ave maris stella

Salve regina

 

* Werken van Josquin des Prez, ed. by Albert Smijers et alii (Amsterdam 1922–1969), and the New Josquin Edition, general editor Willem Elders (Utrecht 1987–2017).