Program: #13-26   Air Date: Jun 24, 2013

NOTE: All of the music on this program is from releases on the Avie label. For more information: http://www.avie-records.com/

 I. Choir of Angels: Music from the Eton Choirbook, Volume 2 (The Choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford/Stephen Darlington, dir.). Avie CD AV2184.

Following a critically acclaimed recording of music from the Eton Choirbook, More Divine Than Human (AV 2167), The Choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford returns with a second volume from the vast collection of 15th-century English sacred music, Choirs of Angels. The works range from John Browne’s richly scored eight-part O Maria salvatoris mater, the first piece in the Eton Choirbook, to William Cornysh’s exquisite miniature Ave Maria mater Dei, the choirbook’s shortest work. The compositional range in the Eton Choirbook demands extraordinary virtuosity from its performers, and Stephen Darlington and his choir of men and boys do this glorious music tremendous justice.

Tracklist:

1. John BROWNE (fl c 1480–1505) O Maria salvatoris mater a 8 (15:50)
2. William CORNYSH (d 1502)  Ave Maria mater Dei a 4 (4:07)
3. Richard DAVY (c 1465 – c 1507) Salve Jesu mater vera a 5 (16:49)
4. Walter LAMBE (b ?1450–51, d after Michaelmas 1504) O Maria plena gracia a 6 (20:52)
5. Robert WYLKYNSON (b c 1475–80, d 1515 or later) Salve regina a 9 (16:22)

Total timing: 74:05

Recorded 11 – 14 September 2012, Chapel of Merton College, Oxford
Following a critically acclaimed recording of music from the Eton Choirbook, More Divine Than Human (AV 2167), The Choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford returns with a second volume from the vast collection of 15th-century English sacred music, Choirs of Angels. The works range from John Browne’s richly scored eight-part O Maria salvatoris mater, the first piece in the Eton Choirbook, to William Cornysh’s exquisite miniature Ave Maria mater Dei, the choirbook’s shortest work. The compositional range in the Eton Choirbook demands extraordinary virtuosity from its performers, and Stephen Darlington and his choir of men and boys do this glorious music tremendous justice.

1.  John BROWNE (fl c 1480–1505) O Maria salvatoris mater a 8 (15:50)
2. William CORNYSH (d 1502)  Ave Maria mater Dei a 4 (4:07)
3. John BROWNE (fl c 1480–1505) O Maria salvatoris mater a 8 (15:50)
4. William CORNYSH (d 1502) Ave Maria mater Dei a 4 (4:07)
5. Richard DAVY (c 1465 – c 1507) Salve Jesu mater vera a 5 (16:49)
6. Walter LAMBE (b ?1450–51, d after Michaelmas 1504) O Maria plena gracia a 6 (20:52)
7. Robert WYLKYNSON (b c 1475–80, d 1515 or later) Salve regina a 9 (16:22)

Total timing: 74:05

• John BROWNE (fl c 1480–1505): O Maria salvatoris mater
• William CORNYSH (d 1502): Ave Maria, mater Dei
• Richard DAVY (c.1465-c.1507): Salve Jesu mater vera
• Walter LAMBE (?c.1450-after Michelmas, 1504): O Maria plena gracia
• Robert WYLKYNSON (c.1475/80-after 1515): Salve regina

 II. Dixit Dominus  (Choir of The Queen’s College, Oxford Owen Rees, director/ The Brook Street Band/ Elin Manahan Thomas, soprano/ Esther Brazil, soprano/ Sally Bruce-Payne, contralto /Guy Cutting, tenor/ Matthew Brook, bass-baritone) Avie CD AV2274.

Following five critically-acclaimed and immensely popular recordings for AVIE, The Brook Street Band embark on their most ambitious project to date: a recording with the estimable student Choir of The Queen’s College, Oxford, that pairs for the first time ever the two settings of the Dixit Dominus written by Alessandro Scarlatti and George Frideric Handel. Both works date from early 18th century Rome, Handel’s within a year of his arriving in the musical capital, and possibly influenced by Scarlatti’s work, though the date of the elder Italian’s composition is not precisely known. Indeed it has been suggested that the 22-year-old Lutheran was attempting to outdo Scarlatti with his masterly grasp of large-scale sacred music for the Roman rite. In between these two grand Vespers, The Brook Street Band serve up a palette cleanser of an instrumental concerto in G minor by Scarlatti.

 Alessandro SCARLATTI (1660 – 1725)
Dixit Dominus
1 I. Dixit Dominus (2:58)
2 II. Virgam virtutis tuæ (2:32)
3 III. Tecum principium (3:26)
4 IV. Juravit Dominus (3:12)
5 V. Dominus a dextris tuis (2:22)
6 VI. Judicabit in nationibus (2:08)
7 VII. De torrente (3:06)
8 VIII. Gloria Patri (4:27)
Concerto No. 4 in G minor
directed from the violin by Rachel Harris
9 I. Allegro (2:13)
10 II. Grave (2:07)
11 III. Vivace (1:01)
George Frideric HANDEL (1685 – 1759)
Dixit Dominus, HWV 232
12 I. Dixit Dominus (5:34)
13 II. Virgam virtutis tuæ (2:49)
14 III. Tecum principium (3:02)
15 IV. Juravit Dominus (2:20)
16 V. Tu es sacerdos (1:40)
17 VI. Dominus a dextris tuis (6:35)
18 VII. De torrente (4:08)
19 VIII. Gloria Patri (6:38)
--Alessandro SCARLATTI (1660-1725): Dixit Dominus

--SCARLATTI: Concerto No. 4 in g minor

--George Frederic HANDEL (1685-1759): Dixit Dominus, HWV 232
Walter LAMBE (b ?1450–51, d after Michaelmas 1504)
4. O Maria plena gracia a 6 (20:52)
Robert WYLKYNSON (b c 1475–80, d 1515 or later)
5. Salve regina a 9 (16:22)
- See more at: http://www.avie-records.com/releases/choirs-of-angels/#sthash.Ul9rpQrf.dpuf

Following five critically-acclaimed and immensely popular recordings for AVIE, The Brook Street Band embark on their most ambitious project to date: a recording with the estimable student Choir of The Queen’s College, Oxford, that pairs for the first time ever the two settings of the Dixit Dominus written by Alessandro Scarlatti and George Frideric Handel. Both works date from early 18th century Rome, Handel’s within a year of his arriving in the musical capital, and possibly influenced by Scarlatti’s work, though the date of the elder Italian’s composition is not precisely known. Indeed it has been suggested that the 22-year-old Lutheran was attempting to outdo Scarlatti with his masterly grasp of large-scale sacred music for the Roman rite. In between these two grand Vespers, The Brook Street Band serve up a palette cleanser of an instrumental concerto in G minor by Scarlatti. - See more at: http://www.avie-records.com/releases/dixit-dominus/#sthash.8H4ponZd.dpuf

Following five critically-acclaimed and immensely popular recordings for AVIE, The Brook Street Band embark on their most ambitious project to date: a recording with the estimable student Choir of The Queen’s College, Oxford, that pairs for the first time ever the two settings of the Dixit Dominus written by Alessandro Scarlatti and George Frideric Handel. Both works date from early 18th century Rome, Handel’s within a year of his arriving in the musical capital, and possibly influenced by Scarlatti’s work, though the date of the elder Italian’s composition is not precisely known. Indeed it has been suggested that the 22-year-old Lutheran was attempting to outdo Scarlatti with his masterly grasp of large-scale sacred music for the Roman rite. In between these two grand Vespers, The Brook Street Band serve up a palette cleanser of an instrumental concerto in G minor by Scarlatti. - See more at: http://www.avie-records.com/releases/dixit-dominus/#sthash.8H4ponZd.dpuf

John BROWNE (fl c 1480–1505)
1. O Maria salvatoris mater a 8 (15:50)
William CORNYSH (d 1502)
2. Ave Maria mater Dei a 4 (4:07)
Richard DAVY (c 1465 – c 1507)
3 Salve Jesu mater vera a 5 (16:49)
Walter LAMBE (b ?1450–51, d after Michaelmas 1504)
4. O Maria plena gracia a 6 (20:52)
Robert WYLKYNSON (b c 1475–80, d 1515 or later)
5. Salve regina a 9 (16:22)

- See more at: http://www.avie-records.com/releases/choirs-of-angels/#sthash.Ul9rpQrf.dpufFollowing five critically-acclaimed and immensely popular recordings for AVIE, The Brook Street Band embark on their most ambitious project to date: a recording with the estimable student Choir of The Queen’s College, Oxford, that pairs for the first time ever the two settings of the Dixit Dominus written by Alessandro Scarlatti and George Frideric Handel. Both works date from early 18th century Rome, Handel’s within a year of his arriving in the musical capital, and possibly influenced by Scarlatti’s work, though the date of the elder Italian’s composition is not precisely known. Indeed it has been suggested that the 22-year-old Lutheran was attempting to outdo Scarlatti with his masterly grasp of large-scale sacred music for the Roman rite. In between these two grand Vespers, The Brook Street Band serve up a palette cleanser of an instrumental concerto in G minor by Scarlatti.

John BROWNE (fl c 1480–1505)
1. O Maria salvatoris mater a 8 (15:50)
William CORNYSH (d 1502)
2. Ave Maria mater Dei a 4 (4:07)
Richard DAVY (c 1465 – c 1507)
3 Salve Jesu mater vera a 5 (16:49)
Walter LAMBE (b ?1450–51, d after Michaelmas 1504)
4. O Maria plena gracia a 6 (20:52)
Robert WYLKYNSON (b c 1475–80, d 1515 or later)
5. Salve regina a 9 (16:22)
Total timing: 74:05
Recorded 11 – 14 September 2012, Chapel of Merton College, Oxford
- See more at: http://www.avie-records.com/releases/choirs-of-angels/#sthash.Ul9rpQrf.d

Composer Info

John BROWNE (fl c 1480–1505), William CORNYSH (d 1502), Richard DAVY (c 1465 – c 1507), Walter LAMBE (b ?1450–51, d after Michaelmas 1504), Robert WYLKYNSON (b c 1475–80, d 1515 or later), Alessandro SCARLATTI (1660 – 1725), George Frideric HANDEL (1685 – 1759),

CD Info

Avie CD AV2184, Avie CD AV2274.