Although the Mass D’ung aultre amer (To love another…) gets top billing on this program and is programmed at the beginning (following the Ockeghem rondeau on which it’s based), for me the best music comes later, with an extraordinarily sumptuous Ave Maria and a Sanctus, also based on the Ockeghem tune, that stands out for its striking harmonic structures (including the occasional, felicitous “retrogression”) and flowing, well-integrated rhythmic combinations in different voices. We also hear Tu lumen, tu splendor patris, a setting of a verse from a hymn (Jesu salvator saeculi) that’s only slightly more than one minute long–but never has one minute of homophony sounded with richer texture nor more vibrant harmony. And for sheer boldness of harmonic effect, there’s the concluding motet Tu solus qui facis mirabilia/D’ung aultre amer, whose power lies primarily in the extended homophonic sections and emphasis on lower-voice timbre and texture–which of course also is a function of the fine-tuned, well-matched, pleasingly resonant voices of the Alamire ensemble.
And they do absolutely embody the meaning of the word “ensemble”, which is so important in fully realizing the cumulative benefits of Josquin’s carefully designed structures, which require particular attention to balance of motivic declamations within the harmonic framework along with usual sensitivity to rhythmic/metric changes.
The program also enjoys the expert contributions of harpist Andrew Lawrence-King, who performs several chansons either alone or with mezzo Clare Wilkinson, whose clearly articulated, expressive singing is ideal for these songs. The excellent sound and David Skinner’s informative notes complete another highly recommended production from this exciting young ensemble.
