In memory of Jaap van Benthem (1937–2023) and Lenka Hlávková (1974–2023)
 
Flemish Polyphony in Central Europe:

Gaspar van Weerbeke (c. 1452–after 1517) was born in the Flemish town of Oudenaarde, and although the exact places of birth of Johannes Tourout (fl. c. 1460), Johannes Ghiselin (fl. 1491–1507), and Heinrich Isaac (c. 1450–1517) are unknown, they originated from the same area. Altogether, these composers are representatives of what is now referred to as the ‘Flemish’ school of polyphony.
Question naturally arise: what connection is there between these composers and central Europe?

From ca 1400 to ca 1600, musicians from the Low Countries played a crucial role in the composition and performance of art music: they were sought out by institutions from across Europe for their exceptional skills, such that the style they practised became a sort of international musical language, defining all subsequent developments. And yet, sifting through music history textbooks commonly used in music schools and universities, one soon realizes that a large part of Europe is absent. This has been brought on by twentieth-century political contingencies rather than by lack of sources. Fortunately, with the post-1989 openness of the region, this artificial fragmentation of the European musical past is being overcome. More and more central European sources are attracting the attention of scholars and musicians, revealing
how rich and diverse the musical culture of central Europe was, and how strong the ties were with centres located in the western part of the continent. All the compositions recorded here appear in manuscripts of central European origins: Trent 93, Trent 88, the Schedel Songbook, the Strahov Codex, the Speciálník Codex, and the Wrocław Codex.

Some compositions reached central Europe through the peregrinations of their authors: the presence of pieces such as Virgo restauratrix or Pange lingua in the Trent and Schedel codices, for instance, can be explained by the fact that their composer, Johannes Tourout, was employed in the cappella of the Habsburg Holy Roman Emperor, Frederick III. In other cases, the music recorded here had to travel a long way before landing in central Europe, and traces of these travels are to be seen in the varying forms this music took. Indeed, sources from Central Europe frequently unveil processes of selection and adaptation, illustrating how musicians skillfully shaped the international repertoire as they encountered and integrated it into new contexts.
 
CAPPELLA MARIANA
Hana BLAŽÍKOVÁ, Barbora KABÁTKOVÁ | soprano
Daniela ČERMÁKOVÁ | alto
Vojtěch SEMERÁD, Tomáš LAJTKEP, Ondřej HOLUB | tenor
Tomáš KRÁL | baritone
Jaromír NOSEK | bass
Vojtěch SEMERÁD | artistic director
 

 
Antonio Chemotti & Vojtěch Semerád | concept & programme
Recorded 8 January 2023 & 28-30 January 2023 in Church of St Lawrence nad Auditorium Michna Palace in Prague, Czech Republic
Aleš Dvořák | Sound Engineer
Jakub Kydlíček | Recording Director
 
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