Accademia – Procession in piazza San Marco by Gentile Bellini
Works by Giovanni Croce
VOICES & INSTRUMENTS
Tutor: Roger Wilkes
Location: Morley Green Club, Wilmslow
Reviewer: Tim Gannicliffe
We assembled on a warm spring day, which meant no problem with cool temperatures in the hall. The workshop was taken by the inimitable Roger Wilkes well known to members of NWEMF. First of all some background on the composer. Giovanni Croce (c1557-1609) was one of the most influential Venetian composers of his time; achieving the post of maestro de cappella at San Marco. Apart from his sacred repertoire which we explored today, he was renowned as a composer of secular music. Croce tended to write in a harmonic vertical style rather than contrapuntal, i.e. syllabic or near syllabic writing in accordance with the strictures of the Council of Trent.
The music studied was:
Kyrie eleison, Sanctus & Benedictus, Agnus Dei from the Missa Decantabat Populus (Messe a cinque e sei voci), 1597.
The Credo from the Missa Quarti Toni (Messa otto voci, 1596)
And the following motets:
Deus in adjutorium meum à8
Factum est silentium à8
Salve Regina à8
Vidi speciosam à5
Most of the music was in two choirs but up to 8 parts as seen above. As there were only about 13 singers that meant some sopranos and altos were singing one to a part. We had a fine band accompanying the choir consisting of a bass viol, cornetts, tenor recorders, and tenor and alto sackbuts. Even with the perceived uneven forces it was a well balanced sound. Roger took us through some of the Latin translation (for us non Latin speakers) so we knew what we were singing and its significance in the mass. Styles were different, for example the Factum est was in a military idiom, almost a call to arms, while with the Salve Regina we were exhorted to sing lyrically with atmospheric intimacy.
Altogether it was a very enjoyable and musically satisfying day. The music was lovely to perform, and not technically challenging. Many thanks to Roger for the hard work in the preparation of the parts, and leading the workshop.
Tim Gannicliffe
First published in June 2018 Newsletter
