Ex Nihilo - Polyphony Out of the Order of Things Graindelavoix & Björn Schmelzer

• Josquin Desprez (1450 - 1521): Praeter rerum seriem:
• 1 Desprez: Praeter rerum seriem 07:22
• O admirabile commercium:
• 2 Desprez: O admirabile commercium 04:12
• Quando natus est:
• 3 Desprez: Quando natus est 03:42
• Rubum quem viderat:
• 4 Desprez: Rubum quem viderat 02:29
• Germinavit radix Jesse:
• 5 Desprez: Germinavit radix Jesse 02:38
• Ecce Maria genuit:
• 6 Desprez: Ecce Maria genuit 02:52
• O virgo virginum:
• 7 Desprez: O virgo virginum 07:42
• Jacob Obrecht (1457 - 1505): Salve Regina:
• 8 Obrecht: Salve Regina 09:35
• Johannes Ockeghem (1410 - 1497): Alma Redemptoris Mater:
• 9 Ockeghem: Alma Redemptoris Mater 05:53
• Jacob Obrecht: Salve Regina:
• 10 Obrecht: Salve Regina 14:21
• Bernardino de Ribera (1520 - 1580): Vox in Rama:
• 11 Ribera: Vox in Rama 06:28
• Giaches de Wert (1535 - 1596): Vox in Rama:
• 12 Wert: Vox in Rama 05:40
• Total Runtime 01:12:54

Info for Ex Nihilo - Polyphony Out of the Order of Things

On their newest recording for Glossa, Graindelavoix and Bjorn Schmelzer present a fascinating array of Renaissance motets based on the theological concept of creatio ex nihilo, creation out of nothing, as exemplified in the mystery of the Incarnation, the idea of God becoming a man.

Well-known pieces like Josquin Desprez's Praeter rerum seriem are combined with less famous works by the same composer, and very fine contributions by Obrecht, Ockeghem, Ribera and Wert.

Bjorn Schmelzer bases his intriguing approach to the performance of these pieces on a 1561 quote by the Flemish Protestant pedagogue Johannes Molanus: "[Mensural polyphony] is a singing without sense or content, in which the voices are resounding emptily in so-called proses, motets, and artificial songs in foreign languages, ornamented for the delectation of the ears, which have no meaning that could be understood even by the singers themselves."

And Schmelzer himself adds: "Polyphony owes its existence to the bizarre articulation of a voidn, aarticulation that is itself void of content and meaning. [...] In no way polyphony improves intelligibility orcontributes to a greater understandnig of the liturgical texts, having in fact the reverse effect..."

This 19th album of Graindelavoix on Glossa will for sure please the ensemble's ever-increasing base of followers, and again constitutes a groundbreaking contribution to intelligent and exciting performance of ancient repertory.

Graindelavoix
Björn Schmelzer, direction

No biography found.

Booklet for Ex Nihilo - Polyphony Out of the Order of Things