Beauty Farm

Beauty Farm is a 2014 founded vocal group focused on 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. On this extensive release, the ever-acclaimed vocal quartet presents four masses of Pierre de la Rue, all composed during the composer's last creative period. Pierre de la Rue is one of the most fascinating and yet most elusive members of the talented generation of composers from around 1500. On the works recorded here he demonstrates his complete polyphonic skills and thus gives the melancholy an intellectual, complex nuance. The necessary lightness is provided by the voices of Bart Uvyn, Hans Jörg Mammel, Hannes Wagner and Joachim Höchbauer.

For a long time Johannes Ockeghem (ca.1420-1497) was one of the most famous Unknown Persons in music history. There is no doubt about his position as the most important representative of the second generation of Franco-Flemish composers.

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 todays 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. Founded by Markus Muntean and Bernhard Trebuch- out of passion for vocal polyphony and a kind of despair about the break in the interpretation of this music which took place in the 1980s- beauty farm gathers young singers, leaving traditions behind, willing to experiment and exploring new musical territory.

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.

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}
XLD rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 626 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 278 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (jpg) -> 113 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 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.

Noel Bauldeweyn (c. 1480 – c. 1530) - Masses - Beauty Farm (2017) {fra bernardo Digital Download fb 1709761}
FLAC (tracks) - 16bit/44kHz - Official Digital Download (qobuz.com) -> 610 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 276 Mb
Full Artwork (jpg+pdf) -> 4 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2017 fra bernardo | fb 1709761
Classical / Renaissance / Polyphony / Sacred / Vocal / Masses

World premiere. The name of Noel Bauldeweyn is not often found among the extraordinary phenomena of an exceptionally rich generation of composers around 1500; this recording may well be the first entirely devoted to his works. And yet Bauldeweyn’s music is characterised by a very individual sound as well as an assured handling of the formal requirements of cyclic settings of the Mass ordinary. The wide geographic distribution of surviving works in choir books belonging to the Papal and Bavarian chapels as well as in the splendid manuscripts originating from Petrus Alamire’s atelier testifies to the reputation he enjoyed among his contemporaries.

Pierre de la Rue - Masses - Beauty Farm (2018) {fra bernardo fb1800751 Digital Download}
FLAC (tracks) - 16bit/44kHz - Official Digital Download (qobuz.com) -> 628 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 313 Mb
Full Artwork (jpg+pdf) -> 6 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2018 fra bernardo | fb 1800751
Classical / Renaissance / Early Music / Sacred / Polyphony / Masses

Beauty Farm is a 2014 founded vocal group focused on 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. On this extensive release, the ever-acclaimed vocal quartet presents four masses of Pierre de la Rue, all composed during the composer's last creative period. Pierre de la Rue is one of the most fascinating and yet most elusive members of the talented generation of composers from around 1500. On the works recorded here he demonstrates his complete polyphonic skills and thus gives the melancholy an intellectual, complex nuance. The necessary lightness is provided by the voices of Bart Uvyn, Hans Jörg Mammel, Hannes Wagner and Joachim Höchbauer.

Johannes Ockeghem (c.1430-c.1495) - Masses - Beauty Farm (2017) {fra bernardo Digital Download fb1701743}
FLAC (tracks) - 16bit/44kHz - Official Digital Download (qobuz.com) -> 326 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 148 Mb
Full Artwork (jpg+pdf) -> 6 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 2017 fra bernardo | fb 1701743
Classical / Renaissance / Early Music / Sacred / Polyphony / Masses

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. Beauty Farm exclusively records for frabernardo. Going back to the roots Beauty Farms reveals the secrets of polyphonic masterpieces …