Franco-Flemish composer Antoine de Févin was a contemporary of Josquin des Prez and a musician at the court of Louis XII, yet over a rather brief career he produced a substantial oeuvre which included 14 masses, 16 motets, 17 chansons, and other choral and vocal works, though this body of work has been largely forgotten since the 16th century. This obscurity is not the only reason the Brabant Ensemble has sought to revive his work, though this British group specializes in the lesser-known Renaissance music of western Europe ...
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Franco-Flemish composer Antoine de Févin was a contemporary of Josquin des Prez and a musician at the court of Louis XII, yet over a rather brief career he produced a substantial oeuvre which included 14 masses, 16 motets, 17 chansons, and other choral and vocal works, though this body of work has been largely forgotten since the 16th century. This obscurity is not the only reason the Brabant Ensemble has sought to revive his work, though this British group specializes in the lesser-known Renaissance music of western Europe, and the high quality of Févin's work recommends it. This 2018 Hyperion release presents two of the masses, the Missa Ave Maria and the Missa Salve sancta parens, along with four motets, and the pure harmonies and fluid counterpoint that are found in Josquin are also evident in Févin's music. The Brabant Ensemble is remarkable for its transparent textures and clear diction, which are vital to its performances, though the acoustics in London's All Saints' Church, East Finchley, give...
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