Alexander Agricola was viewed in his time as one of the major musical artists of his day; in old sources, he is referred to as "the divine Alexander" -- a source dating to 1503 states that Agricola could "make music shine clearer than the finest silver." That his reputation, even among many experts in Renaissance music, has not survived since Agricola's death of the plague in Valladolid in 1506 seems a quirk of history. There are many attributes of Agricola that are appealing to modern listeners attuned to Renaissance ...
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Alexander Agricola was viewed in his time as one of the major musical artists of his day; in old sources, he is referred to as "the divine Alexander" -- a source dating to 1503 states that Agricola could "make music shine clearer than the finest silver." That his reputation, even among many experts in Renaissance music, has not survived since Agricola's death of the plague in Valladolid in 1506 seems a quirk of history. There are many attributes of Agricola that are appealing to modern listeners attuned to Renaissance polyphony, particularly his highly unconventional approach to harmony; brilliant, flowing textures; and intense emotionalism. Paul van Nevel and Huelgas Ensemble's Agricola: A Secret Labyrinth, while not perfect, is a huge step in the right direction to reclaim Alexander Agricola for twenty-first century listeners.Van Nevel and Huelgas Ensemble have long proven surprisingly consistent in the excellence of their performance of late Medieval and early Renaissance music -- Agricola: A Secret...
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