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Naxos

Lassus: St. Matthew Passion / Holten, Musica Ficta

$19.99 Only 2 left

Details

Composer
LASSUS, ORLANDUS
Artist
Musica Ficta, Holten
Format
CD
Label
Naxos
Released
Feb 09, 2018
Catalog #
8573840
UPC
747313384075

About

Let me first express my gratitude to Bo Holten and his team for giving us what it says in the title.

What Holten has attempted is not so much a reconstruction of what Lassus’ music might have sounded like when sung in Munich in 1575 but rather what he thinks ‘might be a way of making Lassus’ wonderful music accessible to a modern audience, making its natural and reticent telling of the story easy and appealing to follow’.

Be aware that despite Holten’s presentation, Lassus’ St Matthew Passion is very different from Bach’s masterpiece. It’s closer to the near-plainsong style of the early renaissance settings such as Richard Davy’s St Matthew Passion, contained in the Eton Choirbook. What Holten has done, however, is to set Lassus’ beautiful polyphonic choral music within the plainchant setting. Sample, if you can, track 16, the inserted Good Friday motet Animam meam dilectam tradidi (I have betrayed my beloved soul into the hands of the wicked). He even includes an excerpt from Lassus’ Italian madrigal collection Lagrime di San Pietro (Tears of Saint Peter) at the appropriate point midway through the narrative.

That may well set you in search of the complete Lagrime, also very well performed by Bo Holten, with Ars Nova, on an earlier Naxos release (8.553311). Another very fine recording from Philippe Herreweghe and the Ensemble Vocal Européen is also recommendable (Harmonia Mundi d’Abord HMA1951483).

A third very fine recording, from Gallicantus and Gabriel Crouch comes at full price (Signum SIGCD339) but can be downloaded from Hyperion, with pdf booklet. Any one of these would do very nicely but the availability of the Signum in very good 24/96 sound from Hyperion, at a reasonable price – less than other download suppliers and less than the CD – may well clinch the matter. Lassus’ last known work, Lagrime makes a fitting supplement to the Matthew Passion.

I must also include a reminder another recording which features Lassus’ music for Passiontide. If you missed my strong recommendation of Stile Antico’s Passion and Resurrection (Harmonia Mundi HMU807555) in 2013 or John Quinn’s review of the same – Recording of the Month – now is the time to catch up. Lassus’ setting of the responsory In Monte Oliveti is only one of the treasures there.

It’s not clear why Lassus’ passion settings are so sparse, but this recording insets into the rather austere chant polyphonic jewels of great beauty, all rounded off with a performance of Agnus Dei. Austere settings of Passiontide music can be very moving, as in the case of Schütz’s St Matthew Passion, almost a century later (1666), but I found the pairing of austerity and beauty on the new Naxos Lassus recording extremely effective.

It’s less clear why Holten has decided to divide the music after the excerpt from Lagrime di San Pietro between the events of Maundy Thursday and those of Good Friday. There is no liturgical reason to do so: the St Matthew Passion would have been recited on Palm Sunday and the St John on Good Friday. There was no Passion reading at Mass on Maundy Thursday, the gospel for that day referring to the blessing of the oils.

That’s a minor niggle when the performances and recording are so good. Having listened in very decent mp3 via Naxos Music Library, I was pleased that the CD-quality press preview sounded even better. The full text and translation are included but that seems to have reduced the space for Bo Holten’s notes to just one side; I would have liked more.

The supposedly inviolable 80-minute limit for CDs was breached some time ago, but I don’t remember one so long as this. It’s certainly not a question of ‘never mind the quality; feel the width’, but it’s good to have this austere but beautiful setting, enlivened with polyphony, in very fine performances and all contained on a CD running to over 88 minutes. Complement it with the Lagrime di San Pietro.

– MusicWeb International (Brian Wilson)

Tracklist 54 tracks

  1. 1 Passio Domini nostri Jesu Christi (Evangelist, Jesus, Priest) 02:14
    Track
    1
    Title
    Passio Domini nostri Jesu Christi (Evangelist, Jesus, Priest)
    Duration
    02:14
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Performer
    Torsten Nielsen, Lauritz Jakob Thomsen
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  2. 2 Ut quid perditio haec (Chorus, Evangelist, Jesus) 02:41
    Track
    2
    Title
    Ut quid perditio haec (Chorus, Evangelist, Jesus)
    Duration
    02:41
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Performer
    Torsten Nielsen, Lauritz Jakob Thomsen
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  3. 3 Quid vultis mihi dare et ego vobis eum tradam? (Judas, Evangelist) 01:03
    Track
    3
    Title
    Quid vultis mihi dare et ego vobis eum tradam? (Judas, Evangelist)
    Duration
    01:03
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Performer
    Torsten Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  4. 4 Ubi vis paremus (Chorus, Evangelist, Jesus) 02:17
    Track
    4
    Title
    Ubi vis paremus (Chorus, Evangelist, Jesus)
    Duration
    02:17
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Performer
    Torsten Nielsen, Lauritz Jakob Thomsen
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  5. 5 Numquid ego sum, Domine? (Chorus, Evangelist, Jesus) 01:48
    Track
    5
    Title
    Numquid ego sum, Domine? (Chorus, Evangelist, Jesus)
    Duration
    01:48
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Performer
    Torsten Nielsen, Lauritz Jakob Thomsen
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  6. 6 Numquid ego sum rabbi? (Judas, Evangelist, Jesus) 02:37
    Track
    6
    Title
    Numquid ego sum rabbi? (Judas, Evangelist, Jesus)
    Duration
    02:37
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Performer
    Torsten Nielsen, Lauritz Jakob Thomsen
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  7. 7 Expectans expectavi Dominum (Chorus) 01:37
    Track
    7
    Title
    Expectans expectavi Dominum (Chorus)
    Duration
    01:37
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  8. 8 Et hymno dicto exierunt (Evangelist, Jesus) 01:21
    Track
    8
    Title
    Et hymno dicto exierunt (Evangelist, Jesus)
    Duration
    01:21
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Performer
    Torsten Nielsen, Lauritz Jakob Thomsen
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  9. 9 Et si omnes scandalizati fuerint in te (Petrus, Evangelist, Jesus) 01:04
    Track
    9
    Title
    Et si omnes scandalizati fuerint in te (Petrus, Evangelist, Jesus)
    Duration
    01:04
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Performer
    Torsten Nielsen, Lauritz Jakob Thomsen
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  10. 10 Etiam si oportuerit me mori tecum (Petrus, Evangelist, Jesus) 01:40
    Track
    10
    Title
    Etiam si oportuerit me mori tecum (Petrus, Evangelist, Jesus)
    Duration
    01:40
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Performer
    Torsten Nielsen, Lauritz Jakob Thomsen
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  11. 11 Tristis est anima mea (Chorus) 03:13
    Track
    11
    Title
    Tristis est anima mea (Chorus)
    Duration
    03:13
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  12. 12 Et progressus pusillum procidit (Evangelist, Jesus) 04:40
    Track
    12
    Title
    Et progressus pusillum procidit (Evangelist, Jesus)
    Duration
    04:40
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Performer
    Torsten Nielsen, Lauritz Jakob Thomsen
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  13. 13 Qui vult venire post me (Chorus) 02:03
    Track
    13
    Title
    Qui vult venire post me (Chorus)
    Duration
    02:03
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  14. 14 Quemcumque osculatus fuero (Judas, Evangelist) 00:40
    Track
    14
    Title
    Quemcumque osculatus fuero (Judas, Evangelist)
    Duration
    00:40
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Performer
    Torsten Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  15. 15 Ave rabbi (Judas, Evangelist, Jesus) 04:07
    Track
    15
    Title
    Ave rabbi (Judas, Evangelist, Jesus)
    Duration
    04:07
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Performer
    Torsten Nielsen, Lauritz Jakob Thomsen
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  16. 16 Animam meam dilectam tradidi (Chorus) 05:37
    Track
    16
    Title
    Animam meam dilectam tradidi (Chorus)
    Duration
    05:37
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  17. 17 At illi tenentes Iesum (Evangelist) 01:21
    Track
    17
    Title
    At illi tenentes Iesum (Evangelist)
    Duration
    01:21
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Performer
    Torsten Nielsen
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  18. 18 Hic dixit possum destruere templum Dei (Chorus, Evangelist) 00:40
    Track
    18
    Title
    Hic dixit possum destruere templum Dei (Chorus, Evangelist)
    Duration
    00:40
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Performer
    Torsten Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  19. 19 Nihil respondes ad ea (Priest, Evangelist) 00:44
    Track
    19
    Title
    Nihil respondes ad ea (Priest, Evangelist)
    Duration
    00:44
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Performer
    Torsten Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  20. 20 Adiuro te per Deum vivum (Priest, Evangelist, Jesus) 01:23
    Track
    20
    Title
    Adiuro te per Deum vivum (Priest, Evangelist, Jesus)
    Duration
    01:23
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Performer
    Torsten Nielsen, Lauritz Jakob Thomsen
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  21. 21 Blasphemavit quid adhuc egemus testibus (Priest, Evangelist) 00:43
    Track
    21
    Title
    Blasphemavit quid adhuc egemus testibus (Priest, Evangelist)
    Duration
    00:43
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Performer
    Torsten Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  22. 22 Reus est mortis (Priest, Evangelist) 00:33
    Track
    22
    Title
    Reus est mortis (Priest, Evangelist)
    Duration
    00:33
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Performer
    Torsten Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  23. 23 Prophetiza nobis Christe (Priest, Evangelist) 00:39
    Track
    23
    Title
    Prophetiza nobis Christe (Priest, Evangelist)
    Duration
    00:39
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Performer
    Torsten Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  24. 24 Et tu cum Iesu Galilaeo eras (Ancilla, Evangelist) 00:27
    Track
    24
    Title
    Et tu cum Iesu Galilaeo eras (Ancilla, Evangelist)
    Duration
    00:27
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Performer
    Torsten Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  25. 25 Nescio quid dicis (Petrus, Evangelist) 00:30
    Track
    25
    Title
    Nescio quid dicis (Petrus, Evangelist)
    Duration
    00:30
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Performer
    Torsten Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  26. 26 Et hic erat cum Iesu Nazareno (Ancilla, Evangelist) 00:44
    Track
    26
    Title
    Et hic erat cum Iesu Nazareno (Ancilla, Evangelist)
    Duration
    00:44
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Performer
    Torsten Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  27. 27 Vere et tu ex illis (Chorus, Evangelist) 01:47
    Track
    27
    Title
    Vere et tu ex illis (Chorus, Evangelist)
    Duration
    01:47
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Performer
    Torsten Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  28. 28 Lagrime di San Pietro: No. 3. Tre volte havev'a 02:28
    Track
    28
    Title
    Lagrime di San Pietro: No. 3. Tre volte havev'a
    Duration
    02:28
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  29. 29 Mane autem facto (Evangelist, Judas) 01:24
    Track
    29
    Title
    Mane autem facto (Evangelist, Judas)
    Duration
    01:24
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Performer
    Torsten Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  30. 30 Quid ad nos tu videris? (Priest, Evangelist) 00:50
    Track
    30
    Title
    Quid ad nos tu videris? (Priest, Evangelist)
    Duration
    00:50
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Performer
    Torsten Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  31. 31 Non licet mittere eos in corbanan (Priest, Evangelist) 01:45
    Track
    31
    Title
    Non licet mittere eos in corbanan (Priest, Evangelist)
    Duration
    01:45
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Performer
    Torsten Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  32. 32 Tu es rex Iudaeorum? (Pilatus, Evangelist, Jesus) 00:56
    Track
    32
    Title
    Tu es rex Iudaeorum? (Pilatus, Evangelist, Jesus)
    Duration
    00:56
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Performer
    Torsten Nielsen, Lauritz Jakob Thomsen
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  33. 33 Non audis quanta adversum te dicant testimonia? (Pilatus, Evangelist) 01:09
    Track
    33
    Title
    Non audis quanta adversum te dicant testimonia? (Pilatus, Evangelist)
    Duration
    01:09
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Performer
    Torsten Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  34. 34 Quem vultis dimittam vobis (Pilatus, Evangelist) 00:48
    Track
    34
    Title
    Quem vultis dimittam vobis (Pilatus, Evangelist)
    Duration
    00:48
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Performer
    Torsten Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  35. 35 Nihil tibi et iusto illi (Pilate's wife, Evangelist) 00:59
    Track
    35
    Title
    Nihil tibi et iusto illi (Pilate's wife, Evangelist)
    Duration
    00:59
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Performer
    Torsten Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  36. 36 Quem vultis vobis (Pilatus, Evangelist) 00:25
    Track
    36
    Title
    Quem vultis vobis (Pilatus, Evangelist)
    Duration
    00:25
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Performer
    Torsten Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  37. 37 Barabbam! (Chorus, Evangelist) 00:21
    Track
    37
    Title
    Barabbam! (Chorus, Evangelist)
    Duration
    00:21
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Performer
    Torsten Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  38. 38 Quid igitur faciam de Iesu (Pilatus, Evangelist) 00:27
    Track
    38
    Title
    Quid igitur faciam de Iesu (Pilatus, Evangelist)
    Duration
    00:27
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Performer
    Torsten Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  39. 39 Crucifigatur! (Chorus, Evangelist) 00:18
    Track
    39
    Title
    Crucifigatur! (Chorus, Evangelist)
    Duration
    00:18
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Performer
    Torsten Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  40. 40 Quid enim mali fecit? (Pilatus, Evangelist) 00:22
    Track
    40
    Title
    Quid enim mali fecit? (Pilatus, Evangelist)
    Duration
    00:22
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Performer
    Torsten Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  41. 41 Crucifigatur! (Chorus, Evangelist) 00:32
    Track
    41
    Title
    Crucifigatur! (Chorus, Evangelist)
    Duration
    00:32
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Performer
    Torsten Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  42. 42 Innocens ego sum (Pilatus, Evangelist) 00:37
    Track
    42
    Title
    Innocens ego sum (Pilatus, Evangelist)
    Duration
    00:37
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Performer
    Torsten Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  43. 43 Sanguis eius super nos (Chorus, Evangelist) 01:40
    Track
    43
    Title
    Sanguis eius super nos (Chorus, Evangelist)
    Duration
    01:40
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Performer
    Torsten Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  44. 44 Ave rex Judaeorum (Chorus, Evangelist) 03:03
    Track
    44
    Title
    Ave rex Judaeorum (Chorus, Evangelist)
    Duration
    03:03
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Performer
    Torsten Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  45. 45 Vah, qui destruit templum (Chorus, Evangelist) 01:07
    Track
    45
    Title
    Vah, qui destruit templum (Chorus, Evangelist)
    Duration
    01:07
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Performer
    Torsten Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  46. 46 Alios salvos fecit Helias (Priest, Evangelist, Jesus) 03:17
    Track
    46
    Title
    Alios salvos fecit Helias (Priest, Evangelist, Jesus)
    Duration
    03:17
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Performer
    Torsten Nielsen, Lauritz Jakob Thomsen
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  47. 47 Heliam vocat iste (Chorus, Evangelist) 00:44
    Track
    47
    Title
    Heliam vocat iste (Chorus, Evangelist)
    Duration
    00:44
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Performer
    Torsten Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  48. 48 Sine videamus an veniat Helias (Chorus, Evangelist) 00:55
    Track
    48
    Title
    Sine videamus an veniat Helias (Chorus, Evangelist)
    Duration
    00:55
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Performer
    Torsten Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  49. 49 Agnus Dei (Chorus) 02:20
    Track
    49
    Title
    Agnus Dei (Chorus)
    Duration
    02:20
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  50. 50 Et ecce velum temple (Evangelist) 01:02
    Track
    50
    Title
    Et ecce velum temple (Evangelist)
    Duration
    01:02
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Performer
    Torsten Nielsen
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  51. 51 Vere Dei Filius erat iste (Chorus, Evangelist) 01:04
    Track
    51
    Title
    Vere Dei Filius erat iste (Chorus, Evangelist)
    Duration
    01:04
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Performer
    Torsten Nielsen
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  52. 52 Mors tua, mors Christi (Chorus) 05:26
    Track
    52
    Title
    Mors tua, mors Christi (Chorus)
    Duration
    05:26
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  53. 53 Cum autem sero factum (Evangelist) 03:29
    Track
    53
    Title
    Cum autem sero factum (Evangelist)
    Duration
    03:29
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Performer
    Torsten Nielsen
    Conductor
    Bo Holten
  54. 54 Agnus Dei (Chorus) 02:33
    Track
    54
    Title
    Agnus Dei (Chorus)
    Duration
    02:33
    Composer
    Orlande de Lassus
    Ensemble
    Musica Ficta
    Conductor
    Bo Holten