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Welcome to Harmonia…I’m Angela Mariani. This hour, we’re exploring opposites. First, music of Jean Mouton, priest, celebrated church and court composer, and revered teacher, whose music has been described as “smoothly flowing with melody.” 500 years after his death, we commemorate Mouton’s life and works. In contrast, later in the hour, our featured release is Carlo Gesualdo: La Légende Noire, dissonant and darkly beautiful music composed by a titled, complex, and troubled individual, who literally got away with murder.
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MUSIC TRACK
And the Sun Darkened: Music for Passiontide
New York Polyphony
BIS 2021 / Naxos BIS-2277
Tr. 4: Adrian Willaert: Pater Noster (4:34)
The Lord’s Prayer, Pater Noster, by Flemish composer Adrian Willaert. That was New York Polyphony from their 2021 BIS release And the Sun Darkened: Music for Passiontide.
As a young man, Willaert had been studying law before he shifted to music, going on to become one of the most versatile and influential musicians of Renaissance Europe, and founding the Venetian School. / Why the switch in career paths? Simply…he met Jean Mouton.
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Renaissance music lovers flock to the music of Josquin des Pres—and with good reason. Josquin’s influence on his contemporaries as well as later composers along with his creativity and command of writing for multiple voices is exceptional.
For a time, many works by Jean Mouton were attributed to Josquin. Perhaps this is why they survived. The theorist Heinrich Glarean called Mouton’s music “facili fluentem filo cantum”– smoothly flowing with melody. Mouton was also known for his “studio ac industria,” his hard work and application. Let’s hear Mouton’s “Nesciens mater” and “Salve Nos Domini.”
MUSIC TRACK (Amazon Music) (7:47) in prod folder
Nesciens Mater: Works of Jean Mouton
Gentlemen of St. John's Choir / cond. Graham Walker
Quilisma 2002 / QUIL-402
Tr. 1 Jean Mouton: Nesciens mater (5:49)
“Nesciens mater” and “Salve nos domini” by Jean Mouton. Graham Walker conducted the Gentlemen of St. John’s Choir.
Mouton’s early life is shrouded with mystery—we don’t know much about his education or childhood. We do know he died in 1522, and so today we remember Mouton, five centuries after his passing. Let’s begin with a toast, taking the words from his own welcoming meal piece, “Bona vita, bona refectio”:
“Good life, good restoration,
good feast, good drink,
good joy”
MUSIC TRACK
Jean Mouton. Missa Tu Es Petrus
The Brabant Ensemble, Stephen Rice
Hyperion CDA67933, 2012
Tr. 10: Jean Mouton: Bona vita, bona refectio (6:11)
Jean Mouton’s “Bona vita, bona refectio.” The Brabant Ensemble was led by Stephen Rice.
Mouton was associated with the royal family—Queen Anne of Brittany and her third husband Louis XII, later king of France. Although Mouton was never the primary court composer for the royal family, he did regularly provide music for important occasions, like christenings, weddings, battle victories, and funerals. At the death of Queen Anne, Mouton composed “Quid dabit oculus nostris,” which laments her death using texts from her funeral sermon: [quote]
Brittany, why do you weep? Music, why are you silent?
France, why have you donned mourning garments, […]
Beat your breasts, you nobles, and say: May Anne rest in peace!
MUSIC TRACK
Au Long de la Loire
Ensemble Jacques Moderne / Joël Suhubiette, dir.
Mirare 2019 / Naxos MIR446D
Tr. 15 Jean Mouton: Quis dabit oculis nostris (7:27)
“Quis dabit oculus nostris” by Jean Mouton. Ensemble Jacques Moderne was led by Joël Suhubiette.
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Theme Music Bed: Ensemble Alcatraz, Danse Royale, Elektra Nonesuch 79240-2 / B000005J0B, T.12: La Prime Estampie Royal
Early music can mean a lot of things. What does it mean to you? Let us know your thoughts and ideas. Contact us at harmonia early music dot org, where you’ll also find playlists and an archive of past shows.
You’re listening to Harmonia . . . I’m Angela Mariani.
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Mid Break (28:02-29:02)
MUSIC TRACK
Sylvestro Ganassi: La fontegara
Le Concert Brise; dir. William Dongois
Ricercar 2018 / Naxos RIC395
Tr. 15 Nicholas Gombert: Dezilde al cavallero (excerpt of 5:29)
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Welcome back. We’re remembering Renaissance composer Jean Mouton this hour.
Petrucci’s 1501 publication Harmonice Musices Odhecaton, which translates roughly to One Hundred Polyphonic musical pieces, made printed music available to a wider audience than ever before. It’s a who’s who of European, and especially Franco-Flemish, composers. Mouton made it in with a few tunes, along with Josquin des Prez, Johannes Ockeghem, Antoine Busnois, Jacob Obrecht, among others. We’ll hear “Jamais” (Never) by Jean Mouton.
MUSIC TRACK
Music from the Time of Tilman Rimenschneider
Il Curioso / dir. Bernhard Bohm
Naxos 2004 / Naxos 8.557138
Tr. 2 Jean Mouton: Jamais (Never) (3:24)
Tr. 28 Jacob Obrecht: Rompeltier (1:02)
“Jamais” (Never), by Jean Mouton, and “Rompeltier,” by Jacques Obrecht, from Odhecaton, the first collection of music printed on movable type. Bernhard Bohn led Il Curioso.
Mouton is perhaps best known today as Adrian Willaert’s teacher. As with Mouton, we don’t know much about Willaert’s early life. Willaert went to Paris to study law, but quickly changed course to work with Mouton, serving under the same patron as his teacher: Louis XII and later François I. We’ll hear music by Willaert, “Sacro fonte regenerate.”
MUSIC TRACK
Sylvestro Ganassi: La fontegara
Le Concert Brisé; dir. William Dongois
Ricercar 2018 / Naxos RIC395
Tr. 8 Adrian Willaert: Sacro fonte regenerata (5:18)
We heard “Sacro fonte regenerate” by Adrian Willaert, student of Jean Mouton. William Dongois led from the cornetto with the ensemble Le Concert Brisé.
Willaert was close to his teacher, and in the fashion of the day, composed pieces that parodied the melodies of popular tunes. His Missa super Benedicta es borrows from Mouton, Josquin, and Prioris. We’ll hear the “Agnus dei” from Missa super Benedicta es.
MUSIC TRACK
The A-la-mi-re Manuscripts: Flemish Polyphonic Treasures for Charles V
Capilla Flamenca / Patrick Denecker, dir.
Naxos 1999 / Naxos 8.554744
Tr. 5 Adrian Willaert: Missa super Benedicta es: Agnus dei (4:04)
Adrian Willaert’s “Agnus dei” from Missa super Benedicta es. Patrick Denecker directed Capilla Flamenca.
Let’s swing in quite the opposite direction now to a composer whose style and demeanor are dramatically different than Mouton’s.
Carlo Gesualdo, prince of Venosa and Count of Conza was a paradox—his personal exploits were as twisted as his chromaticism. Adrien Mabire and ensemble La Guilde des Mercenaries explore Gesualdo’s complex works in their 2021 Nouveau recording Carlo Gesualdo: La Légende Noire. We’ll hear “Se la mia morte brami” (if you long for my death, cruel one, happily I shall die).
MUSIC TRACK
Gesualdo, Carlo: La Légende Noire, Sixième Livre de Madrigaux
La Guilde des Mercenaires / dir. Adrien Mabire
Nouveau 2021 / UMV disbribution LE00004
Tr. 1 Le légende noire: No. 1, Gesualdo: Se la mia morte brami (3:32)
“Se la mia morte brami” by Carlo Gesualdo. That was from our featured release Carlo Gesualdo: La Légende Noire. . . Adrien Mabire and La Guilde des Mercenaires.
Gesualdo is a notorious character in the history of western European music because he infamously and brutally murdered his unfaithful wife and her lover. He supposedly was wracked with guilt for the rest of his life, and this in turn gives rise to tales of him ordering his servants to beat him, and other morbid stories. Gesualdo is sometimes one of the few composers whose name my students remember from a music history class, and we can guess why. Should we perpetuate this sensationalism? He’s not the only composer who murdered his wife - Bartolomeo Tromboncino comes to mind – but everyone is fascinated by Gesualdo. In the Wikipedia article about Gesualdo, we find this quote from Alex Ross, writing in 2011 in the New Yorker: quote, “If Gesualdo had not committed such shocking acts, we might not pay such close attention to his music. But if he had not written such shocking music we would not care so much about his deeds. Many bloodier crimes have been forgotten; it’s the nexus of high art and foul play that catches our fancy.” End quote.
Here's one of Gesualdo’s most moody and famous pieces, “Moro, lasso, al mio duolo” (I die, alas in my suffering).
MUSIC TRACK
Gesualdo, Carlo: La Légende Noire, Sixième Livre de Madrigaux
La Guilde des Mercenaires / dir. Adrien Mabire
Nouveau 2021 / UMV disbribution LE00004
Tr. 17 La légende noire: No. 17, Moro, lasso, al mio duolo (3:24)
“Moro, lasso, al mio duolo” by Carlo Gesualdo. Adrien Mabire led La Guilde des Mercenaires from our featured release, Carlo Gesualdo: La Légende Noire.
We’ll close with the madrigal “Ardo per te, mio bene,” I burn for you, my love,” music by Gesualdo.
MUSIC TRACK
Gesualdo, Carlo: La Légende Noire, Sixième Livre de Madrigaux
La Guilde des Mercenaires / dir. Adrien Mabire
Nouveau 2021 / UMV disbribution LE00004
Tr. 14 La légende noire: No. 14, Ardo per te, mio bene (3:16)
“Ardo per te, mio bene,” a madrigal by Carlo Gesualdo. Adrien Mabire led La Guilde des Mercenaires, on their 2021 Nouveau recording Carlo Gesualdo: La Légegnde Légende Noire.
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Harmonia is a production of WFIU and part of the educational mission of Indiana University.
Support comes from Early Music America: a national organization that advocates and supports the historical performance of music of the past, the community of artists who create it, and the listeners whose lives are enriched by it. On the web at EarlyMusicAmerica-dot-org.
Additional resources come from the William and Gayle Cook Music Library at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.
We welcome your thoughts about any part of this program, or about early music in general. Contact us at harmonia early music dot org. You can follow us on Facebook by searching for Harmonia Early Music.
This edition of Harmonia was written by Sarah Huebsch Schilling.
Thanks to our studio engineer Michael Paskash, and our production team: LuAnn Johnson, Wendy Gillespie, Aaron Cain, and John Bailey. I’m Angela Mariani, inviting you to join us again for the next edition of Harmonia.
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