Mercy, love and death

As E. Schreurs lexplique in his excellent introduction, Petrus Alamire was a pseudonym for a German music calligrapher who lived in the Netherlands (Antwerp and Mechelen). One of his manuscripts is the Songwriter of Margaret of Austria, available at the Royal Library in Brussels.
The extracts of this manuscript on this CD are centered on two main themes: religion and popular Flemish songs (also because of its text) 'Myn hert altyt heeft verlanghen naer u' (My heart always wanted ta) of Peter's Rue.

Texts
The main theme of spirituals is a plea for mercy: 1 - Kyrie eleison Mr. Biscay; 2 - Favor from heaven / Our help of J. Mouton / A. Févin: your mercy helps us quickly find help '; '5 - Agnus Dei dA. Willaert: 'Give us peace; and '6 - Salve Regina (Anon.): Turn your eyes of mercy toward us.
The main topic of secular songs is death: 3 Proch dolor '(attr to Josquin Desprez.), A mourning song for the death of Emperor Maximilian I; '13 Duel Plain J. Desprez expresses Dido's last words: qua rens you my rest of my life; 14 Soubz this tumbel (. Attr P. Rue) is a song of mourning for the death of the lover green (a parrot); '15 Sweet relics of Mr. Orto: receive this soul and release me; and '12 Plus Oultre (Anon.): Adviengne this guen doibt come.
The theme of love song 9 - My heart always wanted to thy Father de la Rue is also in some sense the death, fear of the end of a love story: my love, do not leave me .
Song 4 - Mother prosperous P. Ground is an ode to music and many musicians of the Renaissance with the hope that the rhythmic melody of musicians to be successful.

Music
The main composition in this recital is the intimate song of love / Melancholic '9- My heart always your desired P. de la Rue, characterized by its slow imitations, like most of the other songs. Its melody is used in other compositions 4: 1 Kyrie Mr. Gascony, '10 - The one jay 'C. Rigo Bergis' 6 - Salve Regina (Anon.) And the most "modern" adaptation lute H. Newsiedler solo (11).
The songs (or to attr.) Josquin Desprez ('3 Proch dolor' and '13 duel Plain) and that of P. Ground (4 - prosperous Mother) are pure wonders with their beautiful sound waves generated by all the ViaMichelin voice and instruments.
The instrumentals are more vivid, like '7 - Cursed soyt H. Isaac; '8 - Gone' P. de la Rue, which is an instrumental version of the song Gone With The Wind: that he didnt quung Baisier only, the Heart gives the key; and 16 - Jam Sauche (Joyssance you?) 'P. de la Rue.
The only piece of P. Alamire is the '17 - Tandernaken op den Rijn (In dAndernach city on the Rhine) ', which is an instrumental adaptation dune Dutch song, where two girls meet. The first cry because her mother forbids her to meet her lover, while the other wishes she was born not follow the advice of his mother. She is pregnant and her lover left her.

This CD with excellent interpretations of the Capilla Flamenca 'is highly recommended to all Renaissance music lovers.
One regret: the texts of the translations are in English only.