Who better than Chanticleer to interpret the chants of Josquin De Prez and Alexander Agricola, two High Rennaissance composers who, though not Italian born, came to prominence while in service of the Italian nobility and papacy. De Prez, the more famous of the two, served to advance the development of both homophonic and polyphonic textures and was prescient in his use of both. Agricola also utilized the motet and various liturgical forms as was standard at the time. The exhaustive liner notes that complement this recording provide formal analysis and historical background. The sound? While the nuances of each composition may be appreciated fully by those with a dedicated propensity, anyone can be calmed by the ethereal voices and elegant organum of these simple settings. |
