MANUEL RODRIGUES COELHO (1555 -
1635?)
FLORES DE MÚSICA I
Tento do 8o tom * [4.49]
Hino "Ave Maris Stella" */*** [18.30]
Versos de Magnificat */**/*** [8.50]
Tento do 4o tom * [7.37]
Versos de Kirios *
[8.45]
* Rui Paiva/organ
** Mário Marques/countertenor
*** Schola Cantorum Lusitana
rec: December
1987.
STRAUSS CD SP 4183 [47.40]
Manuel Rodriques Coelho, organist at the Chapel Royal in Lisbon from 1604
until his retirement in 1633, was the author of the earliest printed collection
of instrumental music in Portugal, the Flores de Musica. This disc contains
a selection of works from that collection.
Coelho's music is an interesting combination of "classical" pre-baroque organ
music with some surprising harmonies and dissonances. The five works on this
disc are rich and varied organ works, with some vocal accompaniment, either
a single voice or polyphonic singing.
The two Tentos are works for organ only, and are indicative of the
style of their time. This is pre-baroque organ music, where there is little
ornamentation, and music is meant more for meditation than any other reason.
This music is relatively simple, and the performance adds little interest,
being somewhat flat and metronomic.
The hymn, Ave Maria Stella, contains alternate sections of organ music
with polyphonic vocal music, singing the text to the hymn. This is an ancient
practice of the Roman Catholic Church, and, according to the notes, liturgical
books and treatises on Plainsong were examined to establish "a version that
melodically and rhythmically would be in keeping with contemporary practice."
The Versos de Magnificat is a declamation sung by countertenor with
an organ accompaniment. This is punctuated with polyphonic vocal passages
as well, and countertenor Marques' voice has an interesting vibrato that
gives this music a unique sound.
The Versos de Kirios, like the Magnificat, was performed as part of
the mass, and features the same alternating organ and vocal sections.
This disc is somewhat interesting for the "reconstruction" of the works including
organ and vocals, but lacks emotion. The organ recordings are fine, but the
vocal polyphony sounds weak and there is little texture. Countertenor Marques
has an interesting voice, but, unfortunately, has only a limited role in
this recording.
Kirk McElhearn
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