– The Missa “Quem Dicunt Homines” – Josquin or not Josquin?
– First ever recording of this Renaissance masterpiece
– Collaboration between British and Slovenian vocal ensembles
The Spirit Like a Dove sees a ground-breaking collaboration between the British ensemble Apollo5 and the Slovenian Ingenium Ensemble. The ensembles have brought to life a Mass buried and forgotten for nearly 500 years. Based around the famous motet by Richafort, the authorship of the Missa “Quem dicunt homines” was assumed not to be by famed Renaissance composer Josquin Des Prez. However, recent academic research gives convincing attribution to him. In recording the Mass, the title of which translates as “Who do men say that I am” (which could even be a pun left us by Josquin to decide authorship) the two groups aim to allow it more public recognition and hope that it will stand alongside the remainder of Josquin’s vast set of works.
Released on the VCM Records label and recorded in the beautiful acoustics of the Gresham Centre, St Anne & St Agnes Church, London, by the team behind VOCES8, this recording has already garnered praise from Sid Nuncius, Amazon #1 Hall of Fame reviewer specialising in early music:
“I like the recording very much. The overall sound is lovely – I’m a bit of a sucker for that resonant (but not over-resonant) acoustic which makes the basses in particular really ring. Classy singing, too: faultless intonation, very nicely balanced and blended and with a lovely fluency of line.”
Buy the album now at Amazon.