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Track(s) taken from SIGCD045

Carole, magnus eras

composer
author of text

The Brabant Ensemble, Stephen Rice (conductor)
Recording details: April 2003
Merton College Chapel, Oxford, United Kingdom
Produced by Jeremy Summerly
Engineered by Justin Lowe
Release date: September 2004
Total duration: 6 minutes 18 seconds

Cover artwork: The Marriage of the Virgin (detail of the suitors) (1500-1504) by Pietro Perugino (c1445-1523)
Musée des Beaux-Arts, Caen / Bridgeman Images
 

Reviews

'The individual movements of the Mass are nicely contrasted with, for example, robust duetting in the ‘Et resurrexit’, and a touchingly reflective Agnus Dei. The motets, too, have moments to cherish (‘Accesserunt’ brings out the best in the singers)' (BBC Music Magazine)
RECORDING
PERFORMANCE

'Clemens’s beautifully crafted and mellifluous polyphony, nicely spiced with tellingly placed chromaticisms, is immediately appealing. The Brabant Ensemble generally does it full justice, with its clear, steady tone: the bell-like soprano sound is particularly attractive. The group also gives the music a natural sense of flow, especially in slow and expressive items such as the desolate motet Job tonso capite … a most promising debut album, suggesting the the Brabant Ensemble could have a bright future—especially if, in its enterprising choice of repertoire, it is starting as it means to go on' (The Daily Telegraph)

'They make a glorious sound which may be very English, for want of a better word, but which I found irresistible—Clemens’s mellifluous lines rise and fall beautifully, no one part taking precedence over the others, and all with an ethereal feeling … if you are unfamiliar with this repertoire, do buy this; it will change your life. Those of you who are, don't miss this wonderful debut recording' (Early Music Review)
Carole, magnus eras (SSATB) is a secular work: a state motet addressed to the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V and his son, Philip II of Spain. Clemens was not directly employed by Charles or Philip (so far as is known), so it seems likely that the dedication arose through the composer’s connection with Philippe du Croy, a lieutenant of Charles. Since the text celebrates the achievements of the Emperor but promises even greater things under his son, it was probably composed at the time of Philip’s investiture as Regent of the Low Countries in 1549. Clemens takes full advantage of the presence in the text of the Imperial motto ‘plus ultra’, with the top voice reaching and finally surpassing the highest note in its range as the motto is stated twice in homophony.

from notes by Stephen Rice © 2004

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