Like many of even the most prolific and celebrated composers of the sixteenth century, Jacobus Clemens non Papa (‘not the Pope’) has offered the history books little factual material with which to work. In contrast to the paucity of biographical material, however, many sources of Clemens' music survive. Indeed, he is one of the most widely published musicians of the entire century with fifteen Masses, over two hundred motets, many Dutch psalms and French chansons to his name.
This disc features the Mass Ecce quam bonum, which is based on Clemen’s own motet setting of Psalm 133, ‘Behold, how good and joyful a thing it is: brethren, to dwell together in unity!’
November 2004
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“The individual movements of the Mass are nicely contrasted with, for example, robust duetting in the 'Et resurrexit', and a touchingly reflective Agnus Dei. …this recording provides an intriguing window on to the complex soul of Clemens non Papa - a composer some of us previously suspected of not having one.”
Click on any of the works listed above for alternative recordings.
