Kantorei: Motet Masters

"Throughout the history of western choral music, the motet has been one of the most important forms of choral music. It helped moved choral music from solo chant into the glorious polyphonic music of the renaissance and baroque. Highly spiritual in nature, motets serve as both contemplative and joyous responses. In this program, Kantorei surveys the history of the motet, performing works of renaissance composers Josquin des Prez and Giovanni Palestrina moving into the height of the Baroque period with Johann Sebastian Bach’s motet Lobet den Herrn (BWV 230). Also included on the program is Johannes Brahms melancholic Warum ist das Licht gegeben (Op. 74 No. 1) as well as examples of famous motets from the 20th and 21st centuries."

Music by Josquin des Prez, Giovanni Palestina, Vicenzo Lusitano, Pedro Bermúdez, Salamone Rossi, Johann Sebastian Bach; Johannes Brahms, Maurice Duruflé, Charles Villiers Stanford, Healey Willan, Morten Lauridsen, Arvo Pärt.