Codex Las Huelgas (13th Century Sacred Spanish Music)

Codex Las Huelgas (13th Century Sacred Spanish Music)

On this CD:

1. Salve porta regni glorie/Salve
Composed by Anonymous
Performed by Discantus

2. Rex virginum amator
Composed by Anonymous
Performed by Discantus

3. Ave Maris Stella (Piae Cantiones)
Composed by Anonymous
Performed by Discantus

4. Catolicorum concio
Composed by Anonymous
Performed by Discantus

5. Benedicta et Venerabilis, for 4 voices
Composed by Anonymous
Performed by Discantus

6. Verbum caro factum est
Composed by Anonymous
Performed by Discantus

7. In Sapiencia Disponens (Las Huelgas Codex)
Composed by Anonymous
Performed by Discantus

8. Mundi Dolens de Iactura, motet
Composed by Codex Las Huelgas Anonymous
Performed by Discantus

9. Veni redemptor gencium
Composed by Anonymous
Performed by Discantus

10. Ave gloriosa/Salve virgo regia, motet
Composed by Anonymous
Performed by Discantus

11. Maria virgo virginum
Composed by Anonymous
Performed by Discantus

12. Stabat Iuxta Christ Crucem
Composed by Anonymous
Performed by Discantus

13. Victime paschali laudes
Composed by Anonymous
Performed by Discantus

14. Resurgentis Domini
Composed by Anonymous
Performed by Discantus

15. Audi Pontus
Composed by Anonymous
Performed by Discantus

16. Iam nubes
Composed by Anonymous
Performed by Discantus

17. Sanctus-Divinum misterium
Composed by Anonymous
Performed by Discantus

18. In seculum
Composed by Anonymous
Performed by Discantus

19. Salve Regina Glorie
Composed by Codex Las Huelgas Anonymous
Performed by Discantus

20. Agnus-O ihesu salvator
Composed by Anonymous
Performed by Discantus

21. Fa fa mi fa/Ut re mi ut
Composed by Anonymous
Performed by Discantus

22. Benedicamus Domino
Composed by Italian Anonymous
Performed by Discantus

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
The convent of Las Huelgas was founded shortly before 1200 in northern Spain by King Alfonso XII (father of Alfonso "The Wise," who compiled the famous Cantigas de Santa Maria) and Queen Eleanor (daughter of Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine); it enjoyed royal patronage for generations after. The Codex Las Huelgas is a manuscript of liturgical music compiled--probably by the nuns themselves--for use at the convent; it's undoubtedly the most important source of medieval music intended for women. Discantus, performing entirely a cappella, presents a cross-section of works from the Codex: stately conductus, in which the voices move together note against note; motetus, in which the lowest voice sings a chant melody in long note-values while faster-moving upper voices sing a full text; tropes with elaborate additions of words and music to a basic text such as the Kyrie or Sanctus; and organum in the style of Perotin. The nine women of Discantus don't sing with the unearthly purity of Anonymous 4; you could call it earthy purity--they have a straightforward, slightly throaty sound that wears well with repeated listenings. --Matthew Westphal