composer
Melchior Vulpius (c.1570-1615) was a German Composer and schoolmaster. He was one of the most important Protestant composers of church music of his time in Germany. Together with his brother ...
related works
Genre:
Vocal music
Subgenre:
Vocal Ensemble (2-12)
Scoring:
zang
Four motets : for three voices / Kris Oelbrandt; text translations Pieter Oussoren
Genre:
Vocal music
Subgenre:
Vocal Ensemble (2-12)
Scoring:
3voc
Cantico del sole : voor driestemmig vocaal ensemble, 1980-1985 / Klaas Govers
Genre:
Vocal music
Subgenre:
Vocal Ensemble (2-12); Mixed choir
Scoring:
female voice 2male voices / GK3
Genre:
Vocal music
Subgenre:
Vocal Ensemble (2-12)
Scoring:
3zang
composition
New Selection of Exquisite Motets (Volume I) : for 4 and 5 voices / Melchior Vulpius; transcribed and edited by Cees Wagemakers
Other authors:
Wagemakers, Cees
(editor)
Contains:
Pater noster à 4
Domine, exaudi orationem meam (3’15”)
Laudate Dominum, quoniam bonum (4’30”)
Ecce, ascendimus Hierosolymam (3’45”)
Sic Deus dilexit mundum (3’45”)
Laudate Dominum in sanctis eius (6’30”)
Habeto benevolentiam (5’15”)
Resurrexi (3’45”)
Exultate iusti in Domino (5’15”)
Ascendo ad Patrem (4’00”)
Deus noster, refugium (3’00”)
Dum complerentur à 4 (3’45”)
Laudate Dominum, omnes gentes (3’30”)
Rorate coeli desuper (4’15”)
Pater noster à 5 (4’30”)
Gabriel angelus (8’15”)
Description:
The underlying work is the Opusculum Novum selectissimarum cantionum sacrarum, meaning ‘New Opuscule of most exquisite motets’, published in Erfurt in 1610 by Heinrich Birnstiel. (This title is here translated into New Selection of Exquisite Motets) It contains unaccompanied religious works for 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 voices, and even one for 18 voices: 3 choruses of six voices, a very monumental work. This can best be performed or doubled by instruments in the lower regions. The deep bass voice going to C will sound marvelously on a sackbut.
The motets in this book all have a rather mathematical structure; the voices in the polyphonic parts each starting the same time after the other. In all the pieces there is a remarkable daring repetition of a theme as a token of emphasis; on the other hand: the effect of emphasis is achieved in strictly homophonic phrases.
Both these two phenomena, trademarks of Vulpius’ music, can be heard in the Pater noster à 4 and à 5. Especially the pieces for 6 and more voices are breathing the atmosphere of Venetian polychoral works. Vulpius must have known the music of Claudio Monteverdi and Giovanni Gabrieli, because his polychoral style shows several elements of the works of these Venetians.
Cees Wagemakers, 2016