Flemish Renaissance composer Loyset Compère (ca. 1445-1518) was long relegated to the category of Josquin's lesser contemporaries. Since Josquin's birthdate was pushed forward into the late 1450s, however, he has emerged as a composer to take a fresh look at: his style does resemble Josquin's, but it may be that he came up with some of it first. The program contains a substantial Magnificat primi toni, full of the ingenious contrapuntal devices that characterize Josquin's larger works. Then come seven seemingly artless ...
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Flemish Renaissance composer Loyset Compère (ca. 1445-1518) was long relegated to the category of Josquin's lesser contemporaries. Since Josquin's birthdate was pushed forward into the late 1450s, however, he has emerged as a composer to take a fresh look at: his style does resemble Josquin's, but it may be that he came up with some of it first. The program contains a substantial Magnificat primi toni, full of the ingenious contrapuntal devices that characterize Josquin's larger works. Then come seven seemingly artless French chansons in three or four voices, counterparts to Josquin's secular pieces in French and Italian, and very nearly as entertaining. The program ends with a motet that may or may not be by Compère and somewhat breaks the mood in either case. But the singing of the Orlando Consort, too small in the Magnificat, clearly brings out the text and conveys engagement with the music. The Parish Church of St. John the Baptist, Loughton, Essex, offers a fine sound environment. This is a...
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