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Track(s) taken from SIGCD248

Versa est in luctum

composer
1598; 6vv SSATTB; for the memorial of Philip II of Spain in Toledo Cathedral; 'Ad exequias Philip. II Cathol. Regis Hisp.'; published Liber primus Missarum, Madrid, 1602
author of text
Job 30: 31 & 7: 16; Office of the Dead

Tenebrae, Nigel Short (conductor)
Recording details: November 2010
Various, United Kingdom
Produced by Nicholas Parker & Nigel Short
Engineered by Mike Hatch & Craig Jenkins
Release date: March 2011
Total duration: 5 minutes 32 seconds
 

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Westminster Cathedral Choir, James O'Donnell (conductor)
The Monteverdi Choir, Sir John Eliot Gardiner (conductor)
The King's Singers
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Reviews

'Beautifully crafted Victoria—BBC Music Magazine Choral & Song Choice Anthony Pryer gives a warm welcome to Tenebrae's superlative disc … the insight and advocacy of Nigel Short's recording make it outstanding' (BBC Music Magazine & Song Choice)» More
PERFORMANCE
RECORDING

'The Kyrie from the Requiem Mass of 1605, from Tomás Luis de Victoria and the sound of Tenebrae, directed by Nigel Short, who’s sung this music himself many times with King’s Singers and the Tallis Scholars. But there is an intensity, an emotional range, Tenebrae seems to be able to draw on that makes this really special alongside the purity and accuracy we’ve come to expect from this very versatile ensemble. To find ourselves on the jury putting forward two of their recent recordings to the public vote just proved the point, it could have been their disc of Parry’s Songs of Farewell, but it was the Victoria that won the day' (BBC Music Magazine)» More

'Victoria’s Requiem Mass is one of the acknowledged masterpieces of Renaissance choral polyphony, and Tenebrae here exquisitely conveys the flowing relationships between its six voices. The group presents the work with elegant subtlety, allowing the full detail of tonal colouration to shine through unencumbered. The abnegation of worldly miseries in lines such as 'My soul is weary of my life' is echoed in the less well-known but equally absorbing 'Versa est in luctum' ('My harp is turned to mourning') by Alonso Lobo, a complex piece of gorgeous chromatism, in which the sublime soprano tones cascade emotively over the lower counterpoints to remarkable effect' (The Independent)
Alonso Lobo’s elegiac masterpiece Versa est in luctum was written for Philip’s memorial at Toledo Cathedral. It was published in the composer’s Liber primus missarum (Madrid, 1602) and is headed ‘Ad exequias Philip. II Cathol. Regis Hisp.’. It is one of a group of seven motets which follow six of Lobo’s Masses and they are described as ‘for devout singing at solemn Mass’. It is possible that Versa est in luctum was sung at the Missa pro defunctis which concluded the agenda mortuorum held at San Jerónimo el Real, the church, monastery and palace favoured by Philip in Madrid. There, on 19 October, the Archbishop of Toledo was the presiding celebrant of the final Requiem Mass. The proposed order of service (which survives) allowed for a motet to be sung at the Elevation of the Host, between the Sanctus and Benedictus. If Lobo was there with his singers, part of the Archbishop’s customary entourage, his motet may well have been sung. That is to speculate: what is certain is that this beautiful work has now become a much performed and frequently recorded favourite of choirs, professional and amateur.

from notes by Bruno Turner © 1998

Alonso Lobo composa ce chef-d’œuvre élégiaque pour la commémoration de Philippe célébrée en la cathédrale de Tolède. Publié dans le Liber primus missarum (Madrid, 1602) du compositeur sous le titre «Ad exequias Philip. II Cathol. Regis Hisp.», il fait partie d’un groupe de sept motets qui suivent six des messes de Lobo et sont dits «pour le chant dévôt à la messe solennelle». Versa est in luctum a peut-être été chanté à la Missa pro defunctis conclusive de l’agenda mortuorum qui se tint à San Jerónimo el Real, l’église/ monastère/palais madrilène préférée de Philippe. Là, le 19 octobre, l’archevêque de Tolède présida à la messe de requiem finale. L’ordre d’office proposé (qui nous est parvenu) autorisait qu’un motet fût chanté à l’élévation de l’hostie, entre le Sanctus et le Benedictus. Si Lobo était présent avec ses chanteurs, dans l’entourage coutumier de l’archevêque, son motet a fort bien pu être chanté. Ce sont là des spéculations mais il est certain que cette œuvre superbe est devenue l’une des préférées, souvent interprétée et enregistrée, des chœurs professionnels et amateurs.

extrait des notes rédigées par Bruno Turner © 1998
Français: Hypérion

Alonso Lobo elegisches Meisterwerk Versa est in luctum wurde anläßlich des Gedenkens an Philipp in der Kathedrale von Toledo geschrieben. Veröffentlicht wurde es in der Liber primus missarum (Madrid, 1602) des Komponisten und trägt den Titel ‘Ad exequias Philip. II Cathol. Regis Hisp.’. Es handelt sich dabei um eine von sieben Motetten, die sechs der Messen Lobos folgen und die Bezeichnung ‘zum frommen Gesang bei feierlichen Messen’ tragen. Es besteht die Möglichkeit, daß Versa est in luctum während der Missa pro defunctis gesungen wurde, die am Schluß der agenda mortuorum steht, welche in der San Jerónimo el Real – der von Philipp bevorzugten Kirchen-, Kloster- und Palastanlage – gefeiert wurde. Am 19. Oktober leitete dort der Erzbischof von Toledo die Feierlichkeiten des letzten Requiems. Der Gottesdienstordnung zufolge (welche erhalten geblieben ist) konnte zur Wandlung der Hostie, zwischen Sanctus und Benedictus, eine Motette gesungen werden. Wenn Lobo mit seinen Sängern, Teil der üblichen Entourage des Erzbischofs, zugegen war, könnte diese Motette wohl auch tatsächlich gesungen worden sein. Das bleibt reine Spekulation, doch eines ist gewiß: dieses wunderbare Werk ist heute zu einem viel aufgeführten und häufig aufgenommenen Lieblingsstück von Chören, Berufs- und Amateurmusikern geworden.

aus dem Begleittext von Bruno Turner © 1998
Deutsch: Michael Stoffl

La elegíaca obra maestra de Lobo fue escrita para el servicio fúnebre por Felipe celebrado en la Catedral de Toledo. Se publicó en el Liber primus missarum (Madrid, 1602) del compositor y aparece con el encabezamiento «Ad exequias Philip. II Cathol. Regis Hisp.». Se trata de un motete de un grupo de siete situados a continuación de seis de las Misas de Lobo y descritos como «para el canto devoto en la Misa solemne». Es posible que Versa est in luctum se cantara en la Missa pro defunctis con que concluyó la agenda mortuorum celebrada en San Jerónimo el Real, la iglesia, el monasterio y el palacio favorecidos por Felipe en Madrid. Allí, el 19 de octubre, el Arzobispo de Toledo se encargó de presidir la Misa de Requiem conclusiva. El orden propuesto del servicio (que se conserva) permitía que se cantara un motete en la Elevación de la Hostia, entre el Sanctus y el Benedictus. Si Lobo se encontraba allí con sus cantantes, parte del séquito habitual del Arzobispo, es más que probable que se cantara su motete. Pero esto no pasa de ser una especulación: lo que es cierto es que esta hermosa obra se ha convertido en una pieza predilecta, muy interpretada y frecuentemente grabada, de coros tanto profesionales como aficionados.

extraído de las notas de Bruno Turner © 1998
Español: Luis Gago

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