Sacred Hearts and Secret Music

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The Mass sounds both natural and beautiful; indeed the whole piece is an aural feast. The last item is Rore's Regina caeli laetare, Frances Kelly's harp weaving round the soprano line. Magical. — Gramophone Magazine, Awards Issue 2009 More…

Release Date: 10th Aug 2009
Catalogue No: DDA25077
Label: Divine Art
Length: 79 minutes

Gramophone Magazine

Awards Issue 2009

Editor's Choice

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anon.: Cantabant sancti canticum novum

Work length1:32

$1.00

$1.30

Katharine Hawnt (soprano)
Sacred Hearts Schola

Palestrina: Motets for 5-8 Voices, Book 3 for 5, 6 and 8 Voices

Work length2:35

$1.00

$1.30

Celestial Sirens, Musica Secreta

Surge illuminare Jerusalem

Track length2:35

$1.00

$1.30

anon.: Beata Agnes in Medio Flammarum

Work length1:28

$1.00

$1.30

Katharine Hawnt (soprano)
Sacred Hearts Schola

anon.: Amo Christum, In Cuius Thalamum Introivi

Work length3:11

$1.00

$1.30

Katharine Hawnt (soprano), Deborah Roberts (soprano)
Sacred Hearts Schola

anon.: Agnes, Beatae Virgins

Work length2:48

$1.00

$1.30

Celestial Sirens

Palestrina: Masses, Book 9, Missa Veni Sponsa Christi

Work length22:01

$5.00

$6.50

Celestial Sirens, Musica Secreta

Kyrie

Track length2:48

$1.00

$1.30

Gloria

Track length4:00

$1.00

$1.30

Credo

Track length6:13

$1.00

$1.30

Sanctus

Track length5:32

$1.00

$1.30

Agnus dei

Track length3:28

$1.00

$1.30

anon.: Sequenza In Onore Di Sant'Agnese

Work length1:31

$1.00

$1.30

Celestial Sirens

Rore: Magnificat Sexti Toni

Work length8:23

$2.00

$2.60

Celestial Sirens, Musica Secreta

anon.: Stans Beata Agnes in Medio Flammarum

Work length1:06

$1.00

$1.30

Caroline Trevor (alto)
Sacred Hearts Schola

Palestrina: Alma redemptoris mater

Work length4:57

$1.00

$1.30

Musica Secreta

Palestrina: Lamentations, Book 3

Work length26:04

$6.00

$7.80

Celestial Sirens, Musica Secreta

Lamentation I, Book 3, "de Lamentatione Jeremiae Prophetae"

Track length9:19

$2.00

$2.60

Lamentation II, Book 3, "Quomodo obscuratum est aurum"

Track length8:16

$2.00

$2.60

Lamentation III, Book 3, "Incipit Oratio, Jeremiae Prophetae"

Track length8:29

$2.00

$2.60

Rore: Regina caeli

Work length3:46

$1.00

$1.30

Musica Secreta

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The repertoire featured on this disc features material that might have been performed by a convent choir in the 1570’s, in the Ferrara area. Both Palestrina and de Rore were celebrated in their lifetimes as two of the greatest composers in Italy, and both were strongly connected to the d’Este family, the rulers of Ferrara in 16th century.

Most of the chants here presented are no longer regularly performed – but nevertheless are some of the most beautiful and haunting melodies to be found in the chant repertoire.

The booklet contains full tests, extensive notes and a foreword by Sarah Dunant, author of the novel “Sacred Hearts”, just published by Virago/Random House. The novel is set entirely within a Benedictine convent in 16th Century Ferrara.

Musica Secreta were formed nearly twenty years ago to explore the music sung by courtly women and courtesans of the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Over time, they expanded this to include music that might have been performed by Renaissance nuns – and indeed in monasteries also. They are at the forefront of performance practice research in this repertoire. Their last release, “Motetti a Cinque Voce” by Alessandro Grandi (DDA25062) received high praise.

Formed in 2003, Celestial Sirens is a select, non-professional female choir committed to the performance of choral works in the style of Renaissance and early modern convents.

Reviews

Awards Issue 2009

The Mass sounds both natural and beautiful; indeed the whole piece is an aural feast. The last item is Rore's Regina caeli laetare, Frances Kelly's harp weaving round the soprano line. Magical.

Sacred Hearts and Secret Music

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