Paul Hillier transports us to Renaissance Venice in his final performances as Artistic Director of Chamber Choir Ireland.
After sixteen years at the helm of Chamber Choir Ireland, Paul Hillier marks his final performances with an exquisite programme of sacred choral music from Renaissance Venice.
The programme opens with Nicolas Gombert’s intricate and optimistic motet, In illo tempore, meaning ‘at that time’, published in Venice in 1539.
Over sixty years later, Claudio Monteverdi took inspiration from Gombert in his Missa in illo tempore, drawing from ten different themes extracted from the original motet.
Weaving together the work of two crucial transitional figures in the shift from Renaissance to Baroque, each section of Monteverdi’s six-part mass is followed by a motet by Giovani Gabrieli, from the joyful Plaudite omnis terra to the serenity of O magnum mysterium.
Programme
Nicolas Gombert (France, c. 1495-1560)—In illo tempore
Giovanni Gabrieli (Italy, c. 1554/1557-1612)—Plaudite omnis terra
Claudio Monteverdi (Italy, 1567-1643) —Missa in illo tempore, Kyrie-Gloria
Giovanni Gabrieli—Jubilate Deo
Claudio Monteverdi—Missa in illa tempore, Credo
Giovanni Gabrieli—Timor et tremor
Claudio Monteverdi—Missa in illa tempore, Sanctus-Benedictus
Giovanni Gabrieli—O magnum mysterium
Claudio Monteverdi—Missa in illa tempore, Agnus
Giovanni Gabrieli—Cantate Domino