Josquin Desprez: The Renaissance Master

Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum / Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier

(CD - Harmonia Mundi #HMX 290401618)

Review by James Manheim

This is a reissue release, collecting selections from the Harmonia Mundi label's catalog of the music of Josquin Desprez in three volumes. Reissues generally choose the cheapest solution for graphics and presentation, but this one (although the price is nice) is sumptuous, with a hardback book containing well-produced images and full texts. The difference from other reissues is easy to understand; although Josquin is, as the title says, the undisputed Renaissance master, he's much less well known than any number of visual artists, and that's because it's hard for ordinary listeners to get a grip on some of his procedures. Thus an overview of his career, like the present release, is valuable. The notes outline the various genres in which Josquin worked, and a listener coming to the music with little prior knowledge would get something out of it. Josquin Desprez: The Renaissance Master is also of interest to those who already know and love Josquin, for it offers distinctively different ways of performing his music in a handy single package. Groups included are Paul Hillier's Theatre of Voices, Philippe Herreweghe's La Chapelle Royale, Daniel Reuss' Cappella Amsterdam, Paul Van Nevel's Huelgas Ensemble, and Dominique Visse's Ensemble Clément Janequin joined in the Missa Pange Lingua (performed with intervening chants) by the Ensemble Organum. Consider the contrast between Huelgas Ensemble's ethereal Qui habitat and the Ensemble Clément Janequin's much gutsier sound. This release can be enthusiastically recommended to anyone from Josquin newcomers to those with large Josquin collections already.

Track Listing - Disc 1

Title/Composer Performer Time Stream
Missa de Beata Virgine
1 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 03:47 Amazon
2 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 08:01 Amazon
3 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 07:15 Amazon
4 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 05:47 Amazon
5 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 04:54 Amazon
6 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 04:38 Amazon
7 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 08:01 Amazon
8 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 08:36 Amazon
9 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 04:01 Amazon
10 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 07:03 Amazon
11 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 04:28 Amazon
12 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 05:39 Amazon

Track Listing - Disc 2

Title/Composer Performer Time Stream
Missa Pange lingua
1 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 05:43 Amazon
2 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 02:42 Amazon
3 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 04:57 Amazon
4 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 06:04 Amazon
5 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 04:29 Amazon
6 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 07:03 Amazon
7 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 03:09 Amazon
8 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 06:33 Amazon
9 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 01:02 Amazon
10 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 07:04 Amazon
11 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 02:45 Amazon
In principio erat Verbum
12 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 02:41 Amazon
13 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 04:36 Amazon
14 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 01:46 Amazon
Miserere mei, Deus
15 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 05:34 Amazon
16 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 04:14 Amazon
17 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 05:01 Amazon
18 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 03:31 Amazon

Track Listing - Disc 3

Title/Composer Performer Time Stream
1 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 02:57 Amazon
2 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 02:07 Amazon
3 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 02:35 Amazon
4 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 01:09 Amazon
5 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 01:59 Amazon
6 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 02:37 Amazon
7 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 02:26 Amazon
8 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 01:27 Amazon
9 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 02:41 Amazon
10 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 02:03 Amazon
11 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 01:23 Amazon
12 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 02:24 Amazon
13 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 01:44 Amazon
14 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 02:06 Amazon
15 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 01:47 Amazon
16 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 02:07 Amazon
17 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 02:01 Amazon
18 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 01:58 Amazon
19 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 01:46 Amazon
20 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 02:54 Amazon
21 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 01:55 Amazon
22 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 01:37 Amazon
23 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 02:26 Amazon
24 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 02:35 Amazon
25 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 01:52 Amazon
26 Philippe Herreweghe / Paul Hillier / Ensemble Clément Janequin / Ensemble Organum 01:08 Amazon
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