Album

The notes for this release by conductor Björn Schmelzer are given in English, French, German, and Spanish; the texts, mostly in Latin or medieval French, appear only in French and English. Some will contend that the notes are crazy, and indeed the same accusation was made against the vocal works of Alexander Agricola in their own time. But there is such a thing as salutary nonsense. Schmelzer's premise is that Agricola was blind ("cecus" in Latin), and that his music involved a detailed representation of the experience of blindness. More specifically, the evidence rests on an odd, textless Agricola composition, in three parts and apparently instrumental, called Cecus non judicat de coloribus ("A blind man does not judge colors"); here it is split into its two sections, with motets by Agricola and other composers in between. The evidence that this work is autobiographical, or even that Agricola was indeed blind, is hazy. Cecus non judicat de coloribus is a sort of catalog of contrapuntal devices, and its title could easily be interpreted as having a pedagogical function. But whether you buy it or not, Schmelzer's style, brilliantly realized by his ten-voice, mixed-gender chorus Graindelavoix (the name refers to the writings of French theorist Roland Barthes), is gorgeous. You have never heard Renaissance polyphony done this way, although maybe Leopold Stokowski would have enjoyed it. Think of it as being as far as can be imagined from the pure Tallis Scholars sound model. The singers' voices do indeed reveal plenty of "grain" as they follow Schmelzer in emphasizing passages of text that appear to relate to his thesis, with the males, at least, breaking at the high points into a kind of controlled yell. Schmelzer also adds various small consorts of instruments to some of the pieces. It's all well worth hearing, if only for the shock of the new, and who knows, whatever Agricola meant by "cecus non judicat de coloribus," it might be the next stage in Renaissance polyphony.

© James Manheim, Rovi

CD 1
Anonymous, Spanish Composer Romance de la muerte del muy esclarecido rey don Felipe, for vocal ensemble Work Graindelavoix Ensemble, Björn Schmelzer Conductor
1	Romance de la muerte del muy esclarecido rey don Felipe, for vocal ensemble	6:55			$0.99
Pierre de la Rue Composer Plorer, gemier ; Requiem Work Graindelavoix Ensemble, Björn Schmelzer Conductor
2	Plorer, gemier ; Requiem	3:08			$0.99
Pierre de la Rue Composer Delicta juventutis, motet for 4 voices Work Graindelavoix Ensemble, Björn Schmelzer Conductor
3	Delicta juventutis, motet for 4 voices	9:08			$1.49
Pierre de la Rue Composer Absalon fili mi, motet Work Graindelavoix Ensemble, Björn Schmelzer Conductor
4	Absalon fili mi, motet	6:55			$0.99
Pierre de la Rue Composer Doleo super te Work Graindelavoix Ensemble, Björn Schmelzer Conductor
5	Doleo super te	2:32			$0.99
Alexander Agricola Composer Cecus non judicat de coloribus Work Graindelavoix Ensemble, Björn Schmelzer Conductor
6	Prima pars	4:10			$0.99
Alexander Agricola Composer Fortuna desperata Work Graindelavoix Ensemble, Björn Schmelzer Conductor
7	Fortuna desperata	6:31			$0.99
Alexander Agricola Composer Si dedero (a3), L.iv/50 Work Graindelavoix Ensemble, Björn Schmelzer Conductor
8	Si dedero (a3), L.iv/50	3:04			$0.99
Alexander Agricola Composer Le eure e venue ; Circundederunt Work Graindelavoix Ensemble, Björn Schmelzer Conductor
9	Le eure e venue ; Circundederunt	8:20			$1.49
Alexander Agricola Composer Je n'ay dueil (virelai a4) L.v/7 Work Graindelavoix Ensemble, Björn Schmelzer Conductor
10	Je n'ay dueil (virelai a4) L.v/7	8:08			$1.49
Juan de Anchieta Composer Musica quid defles, motet (Epitaphion Alexandri Agricolae symphonistae regis Castillae) Work Graindelavoix Ensemble, Björn Schmelzer Conductor
11	Musica quid defles, motet (Epitaphion Alexandri Agricolae symphonistae regis Castillae)	3:30			$0.99
Nicolas Champion Composer De profundis clamavi, motet Work Graindelavoix Ensemble, Björn Schmelzer Conductor
12	De profundis clamavi, motet	3:30			$0.99
Josquin Des Prez Composer Nymphes des bois / Requiem aeternam / Deploration de la Mort de Jehan Ockeghem (lament a5) Work Graindelavoix Ensemble, Björn Schmelzer Conductor
13	Nymphes des bois / Requiem aeternam / Deploration de la Mort de Jehan Ockeghem (lament a5)	5:12			$0.99
Alexander Agricola Composer Cecus non judicat de coloribus Work Graindelavoix Ensemble, Björn Schmelzer Conductor
14	Secunda pars	4:38			$0.99