Spotlight on the Netherlands–Requiem for . . .Part II

Program: #08-09   Air Date: Feb 18, 2008

We continue our long and fruitful association with our partners at Radio Netherlands in presenting a series of concerts from the 2007 Holland Festival of Early Music at Utrecht.

We the web site provides more in-depth information about the music and performers we hear as well as more information about the festival (www.rnmusic.nl).

NOTE: Erik Van Nevel directs his Capella Amsterdam in this concert. This profound and moving look at the passing of life uses as the base the grand Officium defunctorum of Tomas Luis de Victoria, which was composed for the funeral of the Dowager Empress Maria, sister of Philip II of Spain, daughter of Charles V, wife of Maximilian II and mother of two emperors.

It was dedicated to Princess Margaret for “the obsequies of your most revered mother”. The Empress Maria died on February 26, 1603 and the great obsequies were performed on April 22 and 23. Victoria was employed as personal chaplain to the Empress Maria from 1586 to the time of her death.

Victoria published eleven volumes of his music during his lifetime, representing the majority of his compositional output. Officium Defunctorum, the only work to be published by itself, was the eleventh volume and the last work Victoria published. The date of publication, 1605, is often included with the title to differentiate the Officium Defunctorum from Victoria's other setting of the Requiem Mass (in 1583, Victoria composed and published a book of Masses (Reprinted in 1592) including a Missa pro defunctis for four-part choir).

The rest of the program features both lament settings from the middle ages (Abelard & the Fleury Manuscript) and by Nicolas Gombert, who served Charles V. (The added material that completed the second part of this program will be listed on music list #08-10).

Gregorian chant
1. Media vita in morte sumus

Petrus Abelardus 1079-1142
2. Dolorum solatium
solo

Nicolas Gombert ca.1495-ca.1560
3. Tribulatio et angustia

Tomás Luís de Victoria 1548-1611
4. Introitus Requiem aeternam
5. Psalmus Te Decet hymnus
6. Requiem aeternam
7. Kyrie Kyrie – Christe – Kyrie
from: Requiem or Officium defunctorum (1605)

Nicolas Gombert
8. Tribulationes cordis mei

Tomás Luís de Victoria
9. Graduale Requiem aeternam
In memoria aeterna
10. Offertorium Domine Jesu Christe
11. Hostias et preces tibi
12 Quam olim Abrahae
from: Requiem or Officium defunctorum (1605)

Nicolas Gombert
13. In te domine speravi

Petrus Abelardus 1079-1142
14. Dolorum solatium

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1. Drums

From Fleury Manuscript ca.1200

2. Planctus Rachelis

Nicolas Gombert

3. Media vita in morte sumus

Tomás Luís de Victoria
4. Sanctus Sanctus
Pleni sunt coeli
Benedictus

5. Agnus Dei Agnus I
Agnus II

6 Communio Lux aeterna
Réquiem Aeternam

7 Motectum Versa est in luctum
8 Responsorium Libera me
Quando coeli
Tremens factus est
Dies illa

9 Kyrie eleison Kyrie-Christe-Kyrie
10 Lectio Tedet animam (incl. Drums)
from: Requiem or Officium defunctorum (1605)

Composer Info

Petrus, Abelardus 1079-1142, Nicolas Gombert ca.1495-ca.1560, Tomás Luís de Victoria 1548-1611, Petrus Abelardus 1079-1142,