Bernardo Arxaga

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.

Amidst his rich synthesized sounds, pop textures, and spicy Latin rhythms, Rubaja also performs on such exotic South American instruments as the charango (a guitarlike instrument made from an armadillo shell) and the bandoneon (a button accordion made famous by fellow-Argentinian Astor Piazzola). Guest artists include trumpeter Mark Isham and percussionist Alex Acuna, among others.

Matthæus Pipelare (ca. 1450 – ca. 1515) - Paradise Regained - The Sound and the Fury (2014) {fra bernardo Digital Download}
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© 2014 fra bernardo | fb 1309203
Classical / Renaissance / Polyphony / Sacred / Vocal / Masses

In short, Pipelare’s striking personality becomes apparent through hearing and analysing his masses rather than from the meagre details of his life. It is as if he redefines polyphonic composition with each work, rather than reverting to the tried and tested as say Jakob Obrecht did. There is nothing immediately recognisable, nothing that sounds even vaguely familiar, nothing can be categorised, rather everything sounds new, fresh, lively – wilfully individual!

Noel Bauldeweyn (c. 1480 – c. 1530) - Masses - Beauty Farm (2017) {fra bernardo Digital Download fb 1709761}
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© 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.

Domenico Scarlatti - Johannes Maria Bogner - Sonatas (2016) {Fra Bernardo}
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© 2016 Fra Bernardo | FB 1513497
Classical / Baroque / Sonata / Clavichord

He ignored every rule of traditional composition in order to achieve the effect his music should have; the number of voices changes arbitrarily, parallel octaves and fifths abound, all according to the vigorous, elemental force of his inspiration.

Marbrianus de Orto (ca. 1460 – 1529) - Paradise Regained - The Sound and The Fury (2014) {fra bernardo Digital Download}
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© 2014 fra bernardo | fb 6001222
Classical / Renaissance / Polyphony / Sacred / Vocal / Masses

We know nothing of the origins, youth and education of Marbriano de Orto (c. 1460-1529) other than that he was the illegitimate son of a priest. His surname is probably that of his mother, Dujardin, and he was trained as a chorister somewhere in the diocese of Doornik/Tournai, in present-day Belgium. The fact that the Pope granted de Orto a benefice in 1486 which secured him a lifelong income from the diocese seems to confirm his close relationship to it from the outset of his career.

Johannes Ockeghem (c.1430-c.1495) - Masses - Beauty Farm (2017) {fra bernardo Digital Download fb1701743}
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© 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 …