ACD 2503 Cover

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Canticum Canticorum

Les Voix Baroques

ACD2 2503
The Song of Solomon, or Song of Songs (Canticum canticorum), is a unique book in the Hebrew bible. From a religious perspective it has been interpreted in many ways, but taken at face value it is an astonishing (and often erotic) collection of love poetry. It has inspired song settings from many of the greatest choral composers throughout history.

The composers represented on this disc encompass a range from late medieval England and Renaissance Italy through Baroque Germany and France, to 20th century Canada.

Les Voix Baroques is a vocal chamber ensemble founded by countertenor Matthew White, and including a variable membership of some of the finest early music professionals in the world today. Les Voix Baroques' 2007 ATMA release, Buxtehude Membra Jesu Nostri [ACD2 2563], received great critical attention world-wide, including 5 Stars from the leading international Early Music journal, GOLDBERG [UK / Spain].

Les Voix Baroques are joined on this recording by Hélène Plouffe and Cristina Zacharias, baroque violins; Margaret Little, baroque viola and viola da gamba; Amanda Keesmaat, baroque cello; Matthew Jennejohn and Douglas Kirk, cornetti; Maxine Eilander, harp; Stephen Stubbs, lute and baroque guitar; Hank Knox, organ and haprsichord.

Produced by Johanne Goyette, and recorded at the church of St-Augustin de Mirabel (Québec) , March 2007. St-Augustin is one of ATMA founder Goyette's favourite recording venues.

        Roland de Lassus (v.1532-1594)
  1 :: Motet - Veni in hortum meum (Sacrae cantiones, 1562)     [3:28]
  For 5 voices and basso continuo [DM-MW-CB-ST-RM]

        Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (v.1525-1594)
  2 :: Motet - Osculetur me osculo oris sui
  (Mottetorum liber quartus ex Canticis canticorum, 1584)     [3:08]
  For 5 voices a cappella [DM-MW-CB-ST-RM]


        Heinrich Schütz (1585-1672)
  3 :: Concerto - Anima mea liquefacta est SWV 263 (Symphonae Sacrae I, 1629)     [4:21]
  4 :: Concerto - Adjuro vos SWV 264 (Symphonae Sacrae I, 1629)     [4:26]
  For 2 tenors, 2 cornetts and basso continuo [CB-ST]

        Domenico Mazzochi (1592-1665)
  5 :: Dialogo della cantica (Musiche sacre e morali, 1640)     [7:01]
  For soprano and echo soprano, 4 voices and basso continuo [DM*-CW-MW-CB-RM] *SOLO

        Healey Willan (1880-1968)
  6 :: Motet - Rise Up, My love, My Fair One (Three Motets in Honour of Our Lady, 1928)     [1:50]
  For 6 voices a cappella [CW-DM-MW-CB-ST-RM]
  7 :: Motet - I Beheld Her, Beautiful as a Dove (Three Motets in Honour of Our Lady, 1928)     [2:00]
  For 4 voices a cappella [CW-MW-CB-RM]

        William Walton (1902-1983)
  8 :: Motet - Set Me as a Seal upon Thine Heart
  (Dedicated to the Honorable Ivor Guest and Lady Mabel Fox-Strangeways on the occasion of their marriage, 1938)     [3:06]
  For tenor and 6 voices a cappella [CW-DM-MW-CB-ST-RM]

        Thomas Tomkins (1572-1656)
  9 :: Verse anthem - My Beloved Spake (Musica Deo sacra, 1668)     [4:49]
  For 5 voices (soloists and chorus) and bass continuo [DM1-CW2-MW-CB-ST-RM]

        Heinrich Schütz
10 :: Motet - Ego dormio SWV 63 (Cantiones sacrae, 1625)     [4:06]
11 :: Motet - Vulnerasti cor meum SWV 64 (Cantiones sacrae, 1625)     [3:31]
  For 4 voices and bass continuo [DM-MW-CB-RM]

        Marc-Antoine Charpentier (1643-1704)
12 :: Petit motet - Dilecti mi H. 436 (maus. s.d.)     [4:28]
  For haute-contre, tenor, bass and basso continuo [CB-ST-RM]

        Marin Marais (1656-1728)
13 :: Passacaille (Pièces en trio, 1692)     [6:49]
  For 2 violins and basso continuo

        Marc-Antoine Charpentier
14 :: Antienne - Pulchra es et decora H. 52 (manus., v.1687)     [3:03]
  (<<pour les vêpres de l'Assomption de la Vierge>>)
  For 2 high trebles, low treble and basso continuo [CW-DM-MW]

        John Dunstable (v.1390-1453)
15 :: Motet - Quam pulchra es (manus., Codex de Trente, 1440-1480)     [2:22]
  For 3 voices a cappella [CB-ST-RM]

        Henry Purcell (1659-1695)
16 :: Verse anthem - My Beloved Spake Z. 28 (manus., v.1677)     [10:29]
  For alto, tenor, 2 basses, chorus, strings and bass continuo [DM-MW-CB-ST (basse 1)-RM (basse 2)]




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