Lassus: Lagrime di San Petro

Orlande de Lassus, Europe’s most famous musician during his lifetime, created nothing finer than the Lagrime di San Pietro, a collection of twenty spiritual madrigals and one motet for seven voices. A cycle of intense reflections on the sorrows of St Peter following his denial of Christ, it was assembled shortly before the composer’s death in 1594 and dedicated to Pope Clement VIII. Into this collection Lassus pours every dramatic nuance and piece of harmonic invention he could possibly muster, hurling the listener through the stages of Peter’s rage, remorse and resignation, and concluding with a motet that presents Christ’s response to the world.

Gallicantus (Latin for ‘song of the rooster’) add to their already impressive catalogue of works on Signum.

SIGCD339  53 minutes 18 seconds
'Gallicantus's robust and committed account will hearten those who fear for the future of this repertory on disc. The countertenors on the top lines are a vigorous alternative to women's voices' (Gram ...
'The sound image is compelling on its own terms, with the homogeneity typical of ensembles with countertenors on the top lines. But it’s a flexible interpretation nonetheless, for Gallicantus have gra ...
'Gallicantus sing this cycle of sacred madrigals and its climactic motet with all the gravity and respect it requires as the major milestone in the development of art music that it was. Live, on a rai ...