CD Cover Art of José de Nebra Visperas de Confesores

LAU004 Lauda Musica
Released 2007

José de Nebra Visperas de Confesores
Reconstrucción del Oficio de Visperas del Común de Confesores (no Pontifices)
La Grand Chapelle Àngel Recasens
Anne Cambier soprano
Tim Travers-Brown counter-tenor
Nicholas Mulroy tenor
Jonathan Brown bass
Herman Stinders organ
Schola Antiqua Juan Carlos Asensio
Tim has sung with the spanish-based group La Grand Chappelle for many years, performing rarely-heard music from 16th-18th century Italy and Spain. This disc is just one of many that have been released under the energetic patronage of it's founder, the musicologist, Albert Recasens. Jose de Nebra was considered to be one of the most outstanding Spanish composers of the 18th Century. A reputed organist in his home country, he obtained the post of organist to the Royal Chapel in Madrid in 1724. He composed mostly for the theatre in the capital city, with many of his Zarzuelas some of the best known of the time, and taught the organ and harpsichord to the Spanish nobility. However, following his appointment as vice-maestro di capella to the Royal Chapel in 1751, he moved his attention to the composition of a wide variety of religious works for use at services there. Many pieces are written for the substantial choral and instrumental forces that the Chapel was assigned, although in these works for Vespers he assimilates late baroque compositional principles, creating a clean, bare vocal sonority, in contrast to the instrumental timbres. Tim writes: "There was a really magical atmosphere in the Chapel that we recorded these songs. It was in a a very quiet corner of Antwerp, and I remember that, despite the time of year, there was a lot of mist around in the mornings before we began recording. For me, the music has a charming simplicity for baroque music, but certain modulations and chromaticisms in the harmony create eloquent expressive elements that suddenly allow the text to shine through. I hope you might want to discover the wonderful contrast between our quartet and the seemless sound of the Spanish Schola Antiqua, directed by the musicologist, Juan Carlos Asensio".

Track list

  1. Entrada: Verso de vísperas (órgano) [4:58]
  2. Invocacíon inicial: Deus in adjutorium [0:54]
  3. Antífona I: Domine quinque talenta Modo I [7:06]
    Salmo I: Dixit Dominus Domino meo, a 4
  4. Antífona II: Euge serve bone Modo I [6:28]
    Salmo II: Confitebor tibi, Domine
  5. Antífona III: Fidelis servus et prudens Modo III [7:25]
    Salmo III: Beatus vir, a4
  6. Antífona IV: Beatus ille servus Modo VII [5:12]
    Salmo IV: Laudate pueri Dominum
  7. Antífona V: Vestri capilli Modo V [3:18]
    Salmo V: Laudate Dominum, a4
  8. Himno: Iste confessor Modo I [3:56]
  9. Antífona del Magnificat: Hic vir despiciens Modo VIII [12:54]
    Magnificat, a4
  10. Benedicamus Domino Modo V [0:46]
  11. Salmo: Credid, a4 Modo IV [6:30]