Missa Maria zart – Jacob Obrechts masterpiece

Thursday, 30 March 2023 | 19:30h | Peterskirche Basel (CH) | buy tickets
Saturday, 1 April 2023 | 20:00h | Jheronimus Bosch Art Center, ‘s-Hertogenbosch (NL) | buy tickets

In 1504, the great polyphonist Jacob Obrecht undertook a journey from his homeland of Flanders to Ferrara, where he was appointed as composer in the musical chapel of Duke Ercole d’Este. On the way, Obrecht stopped in Innsbruck, where he must have learned the German devotional song to the Virgin Mary, Maria zart. The sweet tones of this simple song inspired the composer to produce one of his greatest works: the Missa Maria zart. With a dizzying array of compositional achievements and sheer joie de vivre, this mass is a monument to the flamboyant Gothic style, and at over an hour it is the longest mass in the Renaissance repertoire. Only a year later Obrecht died in the outbreak of the plague, so this mass can be seen as his musical testament.

Cappella Pratensis sings the Missa Maria zart from a newly created full-size choir book, created by calligrapher – and bass singer in Cappella Pratensis! – Marc Busnel.

With these two concerts, Cappella Pratensis presents its brand new CD Missa Maria zart, which can be purchased after the concert.

PROGRAMME
anonymous (German, 15th century) | Maria zart
Chant | Introitus: Salve sancta parens
Jacob Obrecht (1457/58-1505) | Missa Maria zart – Kyrie & Gloria
Chant | Graduale: Benedicta et venerabilis es
Chant | Alleluia: Ave Maria
Jacob Obrecht | Missa Maria zart – Credo
Chant | Prefatio
Jacob Obrecht | Missa Maria zart – Sanctus
Chant | Pater noster
Jacob Obrecht | Missa Maria zart – Agnus Dei
Chant | Communio: Beata viscera
Anonymous | Maria zart

Cappella Pratensis
Tim Braithwaite, Stratton Bull, Andrew Hallock | superius
Lior Leibovici, Korneel Van Neste | contratenor
Peter de Laurentiis, Julian Podger | tenor
Grantley McDonald, Marc Busnel | bas

Artistic director: Stratton Bull

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