Beauty Farm Tinctoris · Barbingant Masses

The music of the Renaissance appears to reflect little of the dangers, horrors and violent conflicts of its time. Music written during the Hundred Years War or the French invasion of Italy gives hardly any impression to today’s ears of the precariousness of existence of which its composers, singers and listeners must have continually been aware. Nor do the two masses by Jacob Obrecht (1457/8 – 1505) on this recording betray anything of the restless spirit of the age, despite them both being based on models referring to suffering and misery.

Nicolas Gombert (c. 1495 – c. 1560) - Motets - Beauty Farm (2015) {2CD Fra Bernardo Limited Edition FB 1504211}
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© 2015 Fra Bernardo | Limited Edition | FB 1504211
Classical / Renaissance / Early Music / Choral / Sacred / Polyphony

Gombert’s compositions are all vocal, some of which are for ensembles of up to twelve parts. His contrapuntal language is based on that of Josquin, but taken to the next level of complexity. Gombert’s vocal textures are often densely packed and the individual lines are characterised by an avoidance of rests. A substantial number of Gombert’s compositions survive, including ten masses, over 160 motets, 60 secular chansons, and a set of eight Magnificats (one in each mode). The motets on this recording, for 4–6 voices, are all fine representations of Gombert’s musical style.

Nicolas Gombert (c. 1495 – c. 1560) - Motets II - Beauty Farm (2017) {Fra Bernardo Official Digital Download FB 1612457}
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© 2016, 2017 Fra Bernardo | FB 1612457
Classical / Renaissance / Early Music / Choral / Sacred / Polyphony

The second Gombert project with seventeen of his masterpieces, the motets, some of them being first recorded here. The best description of Gombert’s motets was written by Hermann Finck more than four centuries ago, in 1556: For he avoids pauses, and his work is rich with full harmonies and imitative counterpoint. Beauty farm founded 2014 by Markus Muntean and Bernhard Trebuch is a vocal group focused to the Franco-Flemish polyphony of the renaissance. The international ensemble is based in the carthusian monastery at Mauerbach (Austria). The singers are members of well known ensembles like «Capilla flamenca», «Huelgas Ensemble», «Vox Luminis», «Collegium Vocale Gent» and «Graindelavoix». Beauty Farm exclusively records for frabernardo.

The 2014 founded vocal group ensemble Beauty Farm is made up of members of top international ensembles such as the Huelgas Ensemble, Vox Luminis, Collegium Vocale Gent or Graindelavoix. Their second CD is also dedicated to motets by Nicolas Gombert, a grand master of the Franco Flemish polyphony.