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Track(s) taken from CDA67938

In spiritu humilitatis

composer
8vv; SATB SATB; Motetti a cinque voci, Venice, 1620
author of text
after Daniel 3: 39-40

Westminster Cathedral Choir, Martin Baker (conductor)
Studio Master FLAC & ALAC downloads available
CD-Quality:
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Recording details: October 2011
Westminster Cathedral, London, United Kingdom
Produced by Adrian Peacock
Engineered by David Hinitt
Release date: January 2013
Total duration: 5 minutes 35 seconds

Cover artwork: The Annunciation with two saints and four prophets (1333). Simone Martini (1284-1344)
& Lippo Memmi (fl1317-1347). Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence / Giraudon / Bridgeman Images
 

Other recordings available for download

The London Oratory Schola Cantorum, Charles Cole (conductor) NEW
The Bevan Family Consort, Graham Ross (conductor)

Reviews

‘The choir is on excellent form and the recorded sound seems perfectly to capture a sense of place, of atmosphere’ (Gramophone)

‘This is an album for those who love the acoustic, the atmosphere and the traditions of the Roman Catholic Cathedral in London … the pacing and cohesion of the Agnus Dei of Palestrina's Missa Emendemus in melius is accomplished and moving, and their singing of plainsong with organ second-to-none’ (BBC Music Magazine)

‘The true musical spirit of the Lenten season … is to be found in the ancient antiphons, psalms and motets which have been part of the liturgical fabric of the season for centuries. This is what we have here, and an intensely beautiful CD it makes too … nobody could remain untouched by the profound beauty and timelessness of this music, and given these unaffected, sensitive and fluent performances from a choir which has been singing Lenten music in a liturgical context for decades, the result is something very special indeed … this is a beautifully devised programme, sung with ineffable perceptiveness by the Westminster choristers and recorded with utterly natural atmosphere by the Hyperion team’ (International Record Review)
Giovanni Croce was fortunate enough to be associated with St Mark’s, Venice, in its heyday, but unfortunate enough to be overshadowed by his great contemporary Giovanni Gabrieli. Croce steered a safe path through the early years of the emerging Baroque era, and remained conservatively linked to the music of the Venetian old school as represented by Gabrieli’s uncle, Andrea. That said, Croce’s sacred music is never less than carefully assembled, and the directness of its text-setting and formal harmonic coherence make it frequently alluring, most obviously in In spiritu humilitatis by the inspired use of reverentially beautiful accented passing notes at the mention of the Lord’s name (‘Domine Deus’). In spiritu humilitatis is a model of humanistic humility, the two four-part choirs indulging variously in gentle dialogue and empathetic enjoinment.

from notes by Jeremy Summerly © 2013

Giovanni Croce eut le bonheur d’être associé à Saint-Marc de Venise, au temps de sa splendeur, mais le malheur d’être éclipsé par son grand contemporain Giovanni Gabrieli. Au tout début de la période baroque, il se fit une place puis demeura conventionnellement lié à la musique de la vieille école vénitienne incarnée par Andrea Gabrieli, l’oncle de Giovanni. Reste que sa musique sacrée est, à tout le moins, soigneusement assemblée; sa mise en musique directe du texte et sa cohérence harmonique formelle la rendent souvent séduisante, surtout dans In spiritu humilitatis et son usage inspiré de notes de passage accentuées, d’une beauté révérencielle, à la mention du nom du Seigneur («Domine Deus»). Cette œuvre est un parangon d’humilité humaniste, les deux chœurs à quatre parties se livrant ensemble à un doux dialogue et à une exhortation emphatique.

extrait des notes rédigées par Jeremy Summerly © 2013
Français: Hypérion

Giovanni Croce hatte das Glück, an San Marco in Venedig während der musikalischen Blütezeit dieser Kirche eine Anstellung zu haben; gleichzeitig für ihn bedauernswert war jedoch die Tatsache, dass er dabei von seinem großen Zeitgenossen Giovanni Gabrieli in den Schatten gestellt wurde. Croce schlug einen sicheren Kurs durch die ersten Jahre der sich ankündigenden Barockzeit an und blieb der Musik der alten venezianischen Schule, die von Gabrielis Onkel Andrea Gabrieli verkörpert wurde, konservativ verbunden. Abgesehen davon ist Croces geistliche Musik stets sorgfältig zusammengestellt und die Direktheit ihrer Textvertonung und die formale harmonische Stimmigkeit sorgen oft für eine besondere Anziehungskraft, wie zum Beispiel in dem Werk In spiritu humilitatis durch den inspirierten Einsatz von ehrfurchtsvollen und wunderschönen akzentuierten Durchgangstönen, wenn der Name des Herrn („Domine Deus“) genannt wird. In spiritu humilitatis ist ein Paradebeispiel humanistischer Demut, wobei die beiden vierstimmigen Chöre sich sowohl sanften Dialogen als auch einfühlsamer Verbundenheit hingeben.

aus dem Begleittext von Jeremy Summerly © 2013
Deutsch: Viola Scheffel

Other albums featuring this work

Sacred treasures of Venice
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Vidi speciosam
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