Gramophone Editor's Choices - July 2022

Cappella Pratensis, Stratton Bull

Nicolas Champion: Missa de Sancta Maria Magdalena - Introitus - Gaudeamus omnes

Missa de Sancta Maria Magdalena - Kyrie

Missa de Sancta Maria Magdalena - Gloria

Sequentia - Laus tibi Christe

Missa de Sancta Maria Magdalena - Credo

Prefatio

Sanctus with Elevation motet O salutaris hostia

Pater noster

Missa de Sancta Maria Magdalena - Agnus Dei

Communio - Diffusa est gratia

Invitatorium - Deus in adiutorium

Antiphon - Mundi fastum abdicavit Ps. 112 Laudate pueri

Antiphon - Quando Martha satagebat Ps. 109 Dixit Dominus

Hymnus - Sydus solare

Antiphon - Fidelis sermo - Magnificat

The third instalment in one of Challenge Classics most successful projects: five recordings of music drawn from the Den Bosch Choirbook. This volume contains Nicolas Champion's Missa de Sancta Maria Magdalena which was composed in the early years of the 16th Century.

The relatively rare Masses that celebrate saints other than the Virgin Mary were usually composed in response to an individual's or an institution's particular devotional interest. There is good reason to believe that Nicolas Champion composed his Missa de Sancta Maria Magdalena expressly for Margaret of Austria, whose devotion to Mary Magdalene is well known. Champion (c. 1475-1533) worked for the Habsburg-Burgundian chapel from 1501 to 1524; this Mass was probably written between 1507 and 1515.

CRITICAL ACCLAIM

Gaude Virgo! - Pierre de la Rue: Missa Cum jocunditate (CC72877)

'The five-part series about the Den Bosch choirbooks starts with a de la Rue-Mass of disarmingly high quality: sympathetically brought to life by Stratton Bull and Cappella Pratensis in the literal sense of the word.' - Klassik.com

Ezekiel's Eagle - Jean Mouton: Missa Tua est potentia (CC72789)

Gramophone Editor's Choice: 'Jean Mouton's music shaped and sung superbly.'