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Guerrero re-works many of Crecquillon’s themes to form his Missa Congratulamini mihi, and this in itself is a tribute to his consummate compositional abilities. Interestingly the only theme Guerrero seems not to use is the motif associated with ‘et dum flerem’. The rollicking Hosanna is a particularly clever movement when he marries two themes—‘Congratulamini mihi’ and ‘vidi Dominum meum’ (‘Rejoice with me’ and ‘I saw my Lord’)—and thus provides in a nutshell the very heart of the matter. To enhance the Easter joy, and unlike Crecquillon, Guerrero chooses not to use two bass parts but writes two treble parts instead. In the final invocation of the Agnus Dei he restores the second bass voice and repeats the marriage of themes already used in the Hosanna but this time with music of exquisite serenity.

The five-part texture is maintained throughout most of the Mass but Guerrero uses a trio in the Gloria and a telling duet followed by another trio in the Credo. Further delights come when Guerrero allows himself the freedom to compose new material (the ‘Et incarnatus est’ in the Credo and the prayerful Benedictus) and briefly moves away from the sunny disposition of the Mass.

from notes by Andrew Carwood © 2010