Program Notes - Masters of the Renaissance - The Netherlands School

Music of Orlande de Lassus
At the end of the Renaissance three composers stood as the greatest figures in European music. One of these, Palestrina, has been the focus of several of our concerts in recent years. Tonight we turn our attention to the other two great masters, Lassus and Byrd.

Orlande de Lassus was born at Mons, in Hainaut (now a part of Belgium) in 1532 and died in Munich on June 14, 1594. Early details of his life are scarce, but legend has it that he was kidnapped three times because of the beauty of his boy soprano voice. Whether or not that is true, it is factual that he ended up singing for the Gonzaga family of Italy. Lassus spent time in Mantua, Milan, Naples, and finally settled in Rome where he was appointed Maestro di Cappella at the great basilica of St. John Lateran in 1553. He then worked in Antwerp for a year before moving to Munich, where he was engaged as a tenor by the Duke of Bavaria. He later assumed the post of Maestro di Cappella, a position he held until his death, thirty years later.

Lassus was an extremely prolific composer. He wrote approximately 2,000 sacred and secular vocal compositions. Among his sacred works he is best known for his motets, which often express with great vividness the text on which they were composed.

Factus est Dominus
This short, simple motet perfectly expresses the strong defense and refuge of the Lord. The vocal parts and G major harmony never seem to stray very far or for very long from their rock-solid center.

Factus est Dominus firmamentum meum
et refugium meum
et liberator meus,
sperabo in eum.

God has become my strength and help
He is our refuge
in him alone is freedom
and hope and life.

Missa Il me suffit: Kyrie, Sanctus, Agnus Dei
This beautiful, simple four-part Mass is a classic example of a Parody Mass, which is a Mass based on melodies in a pre-existing piece. In this case, the melodies come from a secular song (a chanson) by Claudin de Sermisy (ca. 1495-1562). Lassus sometimes uses the tune, note by note, in one of the voice parts; other times he uses fragments of the tune in his counterpoint. This chanson was used by Germans as well: it became a Lutheran hymn (chorale). Astute listeners will recognize it as one of the chorales Bach harmonized and used in his St. Matthew Passion.

Kyrie eleison.
Christe eleison.
Kyrie eleison.

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus Dominus Deus
Sabaoth. Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria
tua. Osanna in excelsis.

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of Hosts.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.

Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domine.
Osanna in excelsis.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi,
miserere nobis. Dona nobis pacem.

O Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the
world, have mercy upon us. Grant us your peace.

Justorum animae
This luminous motet was written late in Lassus’ life. It expresses the text with unique tenderness and hope.

Justorum Animae, in manu Dei sunt,
et non tanget illos tormentum mortis:
visi sunt oculis insipientium mori:
illi autem sunt in pace.

The souls of the righteous are in the hand
of God, and there shall no torment touch
them: In the sight of th’unwise they seemed
to die, But they are in peace.

Surgens Jesus
This motet offers a perfect example of Lassus’ word-painting. The very first word (“surgens” - “rising”) is set to a musical phrase that vigorously rises one entire octave before another voice comes in. When Jesus returns from the dead, appears in the midst of his disciples, and says “Peace be with you,” the music suddenly is suspended in time. The alleluias mount and mount as the disciples realize their Lord has returned from the dead. When the disciples rejoice (“Gavisi sunt discipuli”) the music goes into a dance-like rhythm and then into a very fast section where a cacophony of alleluias seem to come from all different beats simultaneously, almost like an excited group of people all talking at the same time.

Surgens Jesus Dominus noster
stans in medio discipulorum suorum
dixit: Pax vobis, alleluia.
Gavisi sunt discipuli, viso Domino, alleluia.

Rising from the dead, Jesus our Lord,
standing in the midst of his disciples,
said, Peace unto you. Alleluia!
The disciples rejoiced at the sight of the Lord.

Penitential Psalm No. 6: De profundis
This profound setting of the great Psalm “Out of the depths I cry to thee, O Lord” is not only the longest work of Lassus we perform tonight, it is also written in a completely different style than most of the other Lassus works on this program. Whereas most of the Lassus motets heard tonight were composed in a modern, forward-looking style of his day, this work was composed in an antique style that had evolved over hundreds of years.

Lassus took the traditional Gregorian chant melody for the De profundis psalm, and fashioned a “cantus firmus” out of it. (A cantus firmus is the chant melody in slow, individual notes.) The entire piece is built on top of this cantus firmus. In each of the ten sections the cantus firmus appears, pure and unadorned, in one of the various voice parts (and twice in two parts in canon). Throughout the work Lassus constructs a miniature symphony of spiritual moods and colors; and he ties the whole together with the a Gloria Patri of considerable grandeur and scope.

De Profundis Clamavi ad te, Domine;
Domine exaudi vocem meam
Fiant aures tuae intendentes
in vocem depractionem meae.
Si iniquitates observaveris, Domine;
Domine quis sustenebit?
Quia apud te propitiatio est;
et propter legem tuam
sustinui te Domine.
Sustinuit anima mea in verbo ejus;
speravit anima mea in Domino.
A custodio maturina usque ad noctem,
speret Israel in Domino;
quia apud Dominum misericordia
et copiosa apud eum redemptio.
Et ipse redimet Israel
ex omnibus iniquitatibus ejus.
Gloria Patri et Filio
et Spiritu Sancto.
Sicut erat in principio,
et nunc et semper,
et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

Out of the depths I have cried to you, Lord;
Lord, hear my voice.
Let your ears attend
to the voice of my calling.
If you, Lord, shall mark our iniquities;
Lord who shall abide it?
For there is a mercy with you;
and by reason of your law
I have waited for you Lord.
My soul has relied on His word;
my soul has hoped in the Lord.
From the morning watch even until night,
let Israel hope in the Lord;
for with the Lord there is mercy
and with him copious redemption.
And He shall redeem Israel
from all his iniquities.
Glory to the Father and the Son
and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning,
is now, and always will be,
world without end. Amen.

Christus resurgens ex mortuis
One of Lassus’ most rousing motets, the Resurrection is immediately depicted with force and strength. It briefly becomes subdued with the word “mortuis” (death), but continues in a strong, positive manner as “death has no more dominion over him.” When the text says he now lives with God (“vivit Deo”) Lassus begins the upward motif in the men’s voices and then it continues upward still more in the women’s parts, leading directly into a whole page of alleluias!

Christus resurgens ex mortuis
iam non moritur.
mors illi ultra non dominabitur;
quod enim mortuus est peccato,
mortuus est semel, quod autem
vivit Deo. Alleluia.

Christ is risen from the dead.
He dies no more.
Death hath no more dominion over him.
He who died for our sins
suffered death only once,
but now lives with God. Alleluia.

Ave verum corpus
We now arrive at one of the most luminous and profoundly beautiful compositions of the late Renaissance. Here Lassus, in all his mature mastery, creates phrase after phrase of such deep feeling; and each phrase is completely different from the next in its choral texture, in the speed of its motivic material, in the extraordinary emotional color of its harmony. And yet, even with all this variety, each section moves seamlessly, one to the next, in a sublime and inevitable procession.

Ave verum corpus, natum de Maria
Virgine, vere passum, immolatum in
cruce pro homine; cuius latus perforatum
unda fluxit sanguine. Esto nobis praegustatum,
in mortis examine. O dulcis, O pie,
O Jesu, Fili Mariae: miserere mei. Amen.

Hail, true body, born of the Virgin Mary, who
truly died, sacrificed on the cross for mankind;
whose pierced side flowed with water and blood.
Be for us a foretaste, in the hour of our death.
O sweet, O pious, O Jesus, Son of Mary: have
mercy on me. Amen

Surrexit Pastor bonus
We close our brief encounter with Lassus with a brilliant 5-part motet celebrating the joyous resurrection. The cascading alleluias remind one of Sweelinck’s “Noe, noe” at the end of his Hodie.

Surrexit Pastor bonus
qui animam suam posuit pro ovibus suis
et pro grege suo mori dignatus est.
Alleluia.

Risen is the Good Shepherd
who gave his life for his sheep
and for his flock is worthy to die.
Alleluia.

I N T E R M I S S I O N

Music of William Byrd
Along with Thomas Tallis, William Byrd ranks as the greatest English composer of the Renaissance, and perhaps of all times. Byrd was born in 1543 and, as a youth, probably studied music with Tallis. He became organist at Lincoln Cathedral when he was 20, and ten years later joined the musicians of the Royal Chapel in London. He remained a part of the Royal Chapel for the remainder of his life, even though he was a fervent Roman Catholic in a country that had recently become Protestant. This was due to the extraordinary esteem in which he was held by those in power. Further, along with Tallis, he possessed a monopoly grant for the printing of music in England. He died in 1623.

Although Byrd composed many keyboard pieces and secular vocal music, it is for his sacred choral music that he is best known. He composed many of the finest motets written in the late Renaissance, and his three Masses represent the summit of English Mass settings.

Miserere mei, Deus
One of Byrd’s most famous motets, the Miserere mei, Deus expresses very strong and subtly changing feelings. It is as much a private devotion as a prayer for mercy.

Miserere mei, Deus, secundum
magnam misericordiam tuam;
et secundum multitudinem
miserationum tuarum, dele
iniquitatem meam.

Have mercy upon me, O God, after
thy great goodness according
to the multitude of thy mercies
do away mine offences.
--Psalm 51:1

Non vos relinquam
Composed for the feast of Pentecost, this motet is truly comforting in its mood. Christ says that, even though he has ascended into heaven, he will not leave us alone like orphans. He will return in the form of the Holy Spirit. The gentle mood of the beginning rises and brightens, little by little, as the heart rejoices.

Non vos relinquam orphanos. Alleluia.
Vado, et venio ad vos. Alleluia.
Et gaudabit cor vostrum. Alleuia.

I will not leave you comfortless. Alleluia.
I go away and come again to you. Alleluia.
And your heart shall rejoice then. Alleluia.

Ave verum corpus
This is perhaps the most famous piece on tonight’s concert, and one of the most sublime pieces of late Renaissance music. I can’t claim a preference to this or the setting by Lassus, because they are so totally different. Whereas the Lassus piece is timeless and luminous, Byrd’s setting is more human, more personally emotional.

Rejoice, rejoice!
Scored for 4-part treble voices, the work is a delight to the ear, with its elaborately-weaving parts.

Rejoice, rejoice, with heart and voice,
in Christ, his birth day. Rejoice, rejoice!

Mass for Three Voices: Kyrie, Sanctus, Agnus Dei
Byrd composed three Masses, one for 4 voice parts, one for 5 parts, this one for alto, tenor and bass. It is the simplest and shortest of the three, and was obviously composed for occasions where the boy treble singers were away, and the services were left to be sung by the adults – the counter-tenors, tenors, and basses. But this scoring is no handicap, for Byrd uses this particular mellow timbre to create the unique atmosphere of the piece. And even though the Mass is brief, Byrd puts us in a timeless, deeply spiritual world.

Kyrie eleison.
Christe eleison.
Kyrie eleison.

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus Dominus Deus
Sabaoth. Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria
tua. Osanna in excelsis.

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of Hosts.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.

Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domine.
Osanna in excelsis.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi,
miserere nobis. Dona nobis pacem.

O Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the
world, have mercy upon us. Grant us your peace.

Gaudeamus omnes
This joyous tour de force for choir is probably the most virtuosic work on the program tonight. All the brilliant rhythmic figurations combine to produce a glorious celebration for the feast of All Saints.

Gaudeamus omnes in Domino, diem
festum celebrantes sub honore Sanctorum
omnium, de quorum solemnitate gaudent
angeli, et collaudant Filium Dei. Exultate
iusti in Domino: rectos decet collauditio.
--Psalm XXXIII, 1.

V. Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto:
Sicut erat in principio, et nunc et semper et
in saecula saeculorum. Amen.

Let us all rejoice in the Lord our God, now the feast
day celebrating in the honor of all the Holy Saints:
whose glory this day proclaiming, angels do rejoice and
sing praises to the Son of God. O ye righteous, be joyful
in the Lord: well it doth become the just to rejoice.
-Psalm XXXIII, 1.

V. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the
Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning, is now and
ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Justorum animae
Byrd’s Justorum animae is perhaps the most transcendent setting of the text ever composed. Like other settings of this famous text - for example the setting by Lassus – the motet evokes an exceptional mood of tender confidence in the beautiful peace our beloved departed ones enjoy; there is no doubt that they are taken care of. But Byrd’s piece goes still further in what it evokes. The beginning, for example, depicts not only confidence in the peace, but a faith that exists side by side with – and rises above – the sense of loss, of mourning. When Byrd sets the words “Visi sunt oculis insipientiam mori” (“In the eyes of the foolish they seem to have died”), his harmonic dissonances and suspensions evoke a nebulous, obscure, transitory world between this one and heaven. And in the final measures, Byrd’s great vision reveals to us an eternal, timeless world of incredibly comforting peace.

Justorum animae, in manu Dei sunt,
et non tanget illos tormentum mortis:
visi sunt oculis insipientium mori:
illi autem sunt in pace.

The souls of the righteous are in the hand of
God, and there shall no torment touch them:
In the sight of th’unwise they seemed to die,
But they are in peace.

Praise our Lord
We close our program tonight in English, with one of the grandest anthems of the English school. Like the Gaudeamus motet, it has a brilliant display of rhythmic figurations in all the voice parts, and it moves like the wind! But it also possesses a cumulative grandeur and breadth that ranks it among the masterpieces of the period.

Praise our Lord all ye Gentiles, praise him, all ye
people: Because his mercy is confirmed upon
us. And his truth remaineth forever, Amen.
--Psalm CXVII, 1,2