Philips: Cantiones Sacrae, 1612

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Cantiones sacrae, pro praecipuis festis totius anni et communi sanctorum, Vol. 1 (more info)
Composed by: Anonymous Peter Philips
Richard Marlow, organ


1.   No. 1. O beatum et sacrosanctum diem (In Festo Nativitatis Domini) - 00:02:34
2.   No. 4. Cantabant Sancti (In Festo SS. Innocentium) - 00:02:57
3.   No. 5. Gaudeamus omnes (In Festo S. Thomae Martyris) - 00:02:46
4.   No. 6. O nomen Jesu (In Festo Circumcisionis Domini) - 00:02:42
5.   No. 7. Modo veniet Dominator (In Festo Circumcisionis Domini) - 00:02:19
6.   No. 9. Tu es vas electionis (In Festo Conversionis S. Pauli) - 00:02:54
7.   No. 11. Hodie beata Virgo Maria (In Festo Purificationis B. Mariae) - 00:04:35
8.   No. 16. Christus resurgens (In Festo Resurrectionis Domini) - 00:03:14
9.   No. 17. Surgens Jesus (In Festo Resurrectionis Domini) - 00:02:13
10.   No. 18. Gentes Philippus ducit (In Festo SS. Philippi et Jacobi) - 00:03:48
11.   No. 20. Ascendit Deus (In Festo Ascensionis Domini) - 00:02:29
12.   No. 24. Ave verum Corpus (In Festo Corporis Christi) - 00:03:48
13.   No. 28. Gabriel Angelus (In Festo Joannis Baptistae) - 00:02:50
14.   No. 32. Ave gratia plena (In Festo S. Annae) - 00:03:14
15.   No. 33. Surge Petre (In Festo S. Petri ad Vincula) - 00:03:31


Cantiones sacrae, pro praecipuis festis totius anni et communi sanctorum, Vol. 2 (more info)
Composed by: Peter Philips Anonymous
Richard Marlow, organ


16.   No. 38. Cum jucunditate (In Festo Nativitatis B. Mariae) - 00:02:58
17.   No. 39. Factum est silentium (In Festo S. Michaelis) - 00:03:17
18.   No. 41. Sancti mei (In Festo Omnium Sanctorum) - 00:03:06
19.   No. 42. O beatum Martinum (In Festo S. Martini) - 00:03:01
20.   No. 44. Cantantibus organis (In Festo S. Caeciliae) - 00:02:57
21.   No. 48. Tristitia vestra (Tempore Paschali) - 00:02:05
22.   No. 50. Gaudent in caelis (In Natalis plurimorum Martyrum) - 00:02:35
23.   No. 56. Ave Regina caelorum (Antiphona B. Mariae) - 00:03:44
24.   No. 58. Salve, Regina (Antiphona B. Mariae) - 00:03:41
25.   No. 68. Ne reminiscaris, Domine - 00:03:17

Reviews

The "other" Catholic English Renaissance Composer (Oct 1, 2010)
Reviewer:Craig Zeichner
Catholics William Byrd and Peter Philips are arguably the two most famous English recusant composers of the Renaissance. While Byrd chose to remain in England during
a time when Catholics were persecuted, Philips left the country. The result? Byrd has remained (and for good reasons) one of the cornerstone composers of English sacred music while Philips is not as well known. This superb... Catholics William Byrd and Peter Philips are arguably the two most famous English recusant composers of the Renaissance. While Byrd chose to remain in England during
a time when Catholics were persecuted, Philips left the country. The result? Byrd has remained (and for good reasons) one of the cornerstone composers of English sacred music while Philips is not as well known. This superb recording of his Cantiones Sacrae 1612 should do much to restore his reputation.

When Philips left England he settled in Rome and then traveled through Northern Europe in the entourage of the Catholic nobleman Sir Thomas Paget. The lessons,
both doctrinal and musical, Philips learned in Rome are evident in the Cantiones, a collection of motets with texts that are mostly taken from the Roman breviary and organized according to the liturgical calendar. The motets are scored for five voices and impress with their spiritual fervor, dramatic word painting and melodic beauty. O beatum et sacrosanctum diem showcases some clever word-painting. Philips uses echoing choral fanfares for “in sono tubae” (“the sound of the trumpet”) and glorious antiphonal writing for “psalterio et organo” (“psaltery and organ”). Gentes Philippus ducit references the composer’s surname and is also dotted with pained dissonances representing the torture of the Apostles that surely alludes to the persecution of Catholics in England. It’s not all gloom though, the Christmas and Easter motets Modo veniet Dominator and Christus resurgens in particular, are joyous and energetic works.

I usually prefer to hear choirs of men and boys in Renaissance music, but the mixed voices of the excellent Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge under the direction of
Richard Marlow are marvelous. The strong young voices glow on high notes, have warm middle voices and a sonorous bottom. This is outstanding and hopefully paves
the way for more Philips.



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