Search - Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, Ensemble Organum, Ensemble Vocal Europeén de la Chapelle Royale :: Palestrina: Missa Viri Galilaei; Magnificat primi toni a 8 /La Chapelle Royale * Ensemble Organum * Herreweghe

This gorgeous Mass is based on Palestrina's Ascension Day motet Viri Galilei (included on the disc). The Mass uses standard "parody" technique: passages and motifs from the model (notably the swirling scales in the two soprano parts) are extended and repeated in the Mass; the opening measures of the motet begin each movement, scored differently in each instance. Philippe Herreweghe doesn't reconstruct an entire Ascension Day service, but he does have the chant specialists of Ensemble Organum provide the major chant items proper to the feast. (They sing with more concern for sounding "beautiful" than they have before or since.) The disc closes with a glorious Magnificat, verses alternating between plainchant (done by Ensemble Organum in parallel fifths) and soaring polyphony. --Matthew Westphal