Album

Fretwork's Ottaviano Dei Petrucci: Harmonice Musices Odehecaton is the first recording in 35 years to address its very important topic, the first volume of polyphonic music ever printed. Ottaviano Dei Petrucci was the inventor of a new and stylish kind of music printing the secrets of which are lost to us, and the first volume issued by his press, Harmonice Musices Odehecaton, was issued in three part-books in 1501, containing 96 pieces. This was a wide cross-section of the popular tunes leading up to that day, including works by Josquin, Obrecht, Heinrich Isaac, Alexander Agricola, and many anonymous works. As these pieces were untexted, it appears that instrumental performance was what Petrucci had in mind, though his next volume in 1503 was the first of several devoted to sacred vocal music. The quality of these prints was uncommonly high, and it would take a long time for the still nascent music printing industry to catch up in this regard.

Fretwork performs a generous selection of 32 pieces from the Harmonice Musices Odehecaton and two other, related Petrucci volumes of the same, or slightly later, vintage. Recorded at Forde Abbey, Harmonia Mundi's sound is close and warm, though a tad metallic, and the sequencing of the disc pulls together several works that sound roughly the same in some spots. However, Fretwork plays these pieces beautifully and with a certain winsome charm, and Ottaviano Dei Petrucci: Harmonice Musices Odehecaton is a highly engaging album to enjoy, not to mention quite soothing and pleasant to listen to.

© Uncle Dave Lewis , All Music Guide

CD 1
Anonymous Composer La Spagna, for 3 voices (Odhecaton C) Work Fretwork Viol Ensemble
1	La Spagna, for 3 voices (Odhecaton C)	2:47			$0.99
Johannes Ghiselin Composer Fors seulement for four voices Work Fretwork Viol Ensemble
2	Fors seulement for four voices	2:53			$0.99
Antoine Brumel Composer Fors seulement (a4) Work Fretwork Viol Ensemble
3	Fors seulement (a4)	2:05			$0.99
Jacob Obrecht Composer Fors seulement (a4) Work Fretwork Viol Ensemble
4	Fors seulement (a4)	1:58			$0.99
Erasmus Lapicida Composer Tandernaken Work Fretwork Viol Ensemble
5	Tandernaken	2:46			$0.99
Alexander Agricola Composer Tandernaken, L.v/99 Work Fretwork Viol Ensemble
6	Tandernaken, L.v/99	3:19			$0.99
Jacob Obrecht Composer Si sumpsero (a3; also atrrib. Agricola) Work Fretwork Viol Ensemble
7	Si sumpsero (a3; also atrrib. Agricola)	3:21			$0.99
Anonymous Composer Se congie pris, for 4 voices (Odhecaton C) Work Fretwork Viol Ensemble
8	Se congie pris, for 4 voices (Odhecaton C)	1:45			$0.99
Anonymous Composer Numqua fue pena major, for 4 voices (Odhecaton C) Work Fretwork Viol Ensemble
9	Numqua fue pena major, for 4 voices (Odhecaton C)	3:33			$0.99
Heinrich Isaac Composer La morra (a3) Work Fretwork Viol Ensemble
10	La morra (a3)	1:30			$0.99
Heinrich Isaac Composer Tartara (a3) Work Fretwork Viol Ensemble
11	Tartara (a3)	2:30			$0.99
Heinrich Isaac Composer J'ay pris amours (a4) Work Fretwork Viol Ensemble
12	J'ay pris amours (a4)	2:01			$0.99
Jacob Obrecht Composer J'ay pris amours (a4) Work Fretwork Viol Ensemble
13	J'ay pris amours (a4)	7:06			$0.99
Marbrianus de Orto Composer Ave Maria gratia plena, for 4 voices Work Fretwork Viol Ensemble
14	Ave Maria gratia plena, for 4 voices	2:22			$0.99
Jacob Obrecht Composer Stat ein meskin (a4; also attrib. Isaac) Work Fretwork Viol Ensemble
15	Stat ein meskin (a4; also attrib. Isaac)	2:09			$0.99
Johannes de Stokem Composer Brunette Work Fretwork Viol Ensemble
16	Brunette	1:27			$0.99
Josquin Des Prez Composer Adieu mes amours (a4) Work Fretwork Viol Ensemble
17	Adieu mes amours (a4)	1:52			$0.99
Antoine Busnois Composer Le serviteur (rondeau a4) Work Fretwork Viol Ensemble
18	Le serviteur (rondeau a4)	1:52			$0.99
Alexander Agricola Composer Si dedero (a3), L.iv/50 Work Fretwork Viol Ensemble
19	Si dedero (a3), L.iv/50 (arr. viol consort)	2:06			$0.99
Philippe Caron Composer Hellas que pourra devenir Work Fretwork Viol Ensemble
20	Hellas que pourra devenir	2:43			$0.99
Anonymous Composer Je suis d'Alemagne, for 5 voices (Odhecaton C) Work Fretwork Viol Ensemble
21	Je suis d'Alemagne, for 5 voices (Odhecaton C)	1:36			$0.99
Jean Japart Composer Vray dieu d'amours / Sancte Joannes baptista / Ora pro nobis, quodlibet chanson for 5 voices Work Fretwork Viol Ensemble
22	Vray dieu d'amours / Sancte Joannes baptista / Ora pro nobis, quodlibet chanson for 5 voices	1:52			$0.99
Johannes Ghiselin Composer Favus distillans, for 3 voices Work Fretwork Viol Ensemble
23	Favus distillans, for 3 voices	3:03			$0.99
Anonymous, French Composer Dit le Bourgignon Work Fretwork Viol Ensemble
24	Dit le Bourgignon	1:00			$0.99
Johannes de Pinarol Composer Fortuna desperata, for 4 voices Work Fretwork Viol Ensemble
25	Fortuna desperata, for 4 voices	2:07			$0.99
Anonymous Composer Fortuna Desperata Work Fretwork Viol Ensemble
26	Fortuna Desperata	2:03			$0.99
Josquin Des Prez Composer Baisés moy (a6, doubtful) Work Fretwork Viol Ensemble
27	Baisés moy (a6, doubtful)	2:36			$0.99
Josquin Des Prez Composer La Bernardina (a3; untexted) Work Fretwork Viol Ensemble
28	La Bernardina (a3; untexted)	1:05			$0.99
Hayne van Ghizeghem Composer De tous biens plaine (a3) Work Fretwork Viol Ensemble
29	De tous biens plaine (instrumental arrangements)	3:18			$0.99
Crispin van Stappen Composer Beati pacifici, for 4 voices (after De tous biens playne) Work Fretwork Viol Ensemble
30	Beati pacifici, for 4 voices (after De tous biens playne)	1:59			$0.99
Alexander Agricola Composer De tous biens plaine (a4), L.v/78 Work Fretwork Viol Ensemble
31	De tous biens plaine (a4), L.v/78	1:37			$0.99
Josquin Des Prez Composer Credo super De tous biens pleine (a4) Work Fretwork Viol Ensemble
32	Credo super De tous biens pleine (a4)	1:28			$0.99