Pierre de Manchicourt - Missa Reges terrae a 6

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*Sounds a whole tone higher than score*

Missa Reges terrae a 6
Composer: Pierre de Manchicourt (ca. 1510 - 1564)
Performers: The Choir of St. Luke in The Fields, dir. David Shuler
Score editor: I thank Jorge Martín of Ars Subtilior Editions who allowed me to use this great edition of Manchicourt's music. The score is available here: https://www.arsubtilioreditions.com/2023/01/pierre-de-manchicourt-c-1510-1564-missa.html

0:00 Kyrie
5:06 Gloria
12:48 Credo
24:44 Sanctus
32:15 Agnus Dei
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"The Missa Reges terrae is undoubtedly from the years during which Manchicourt was employed by Philip. It is preserved in two sources: one in Flanders, and the other in the Library of the Monastery of Montserrat in Spain. The manuscript known as Montserrat 772, which includes three other late masses, and may very well be in Manchicourt's own hand, is dated 1560, and reads at the beginning: Petre de Manchicourt regies capelle magistro. (Pierre de Manchicourt, master of the King's Chapel). The Missa Reges terrae is a thoroughly glorious setting and is full of thematic invention offering Manchicourt ample opportunity for creative redistribution and expansion of source material and motifs. Manchicourt opens each movement with the same series of semibreve fifths as the motet while the inner vocal lines are more subtle reassigning lines to different voices and embellishing the thematic material. The beginning pages of the Credo and Sanctus are easily identifiable examples. He also employs an especially interesting way of quoting sections of the motet by using them to punctuate or change the mood or color of a particular section of the mass. Of special interest is the rendering of the notes on the text "ubi est qui natus est" in the motet into the Christe eleison and the Pleni sunt. Both the section in the motet and its corresponding quotes are carefully placed within the context of the mass leading both performer and conductor to dramatic changes of mood. The two-section Gloria, dense and rich, provides wonderful opportunities to explore Manchicourt's harmonies in the slow sections on the text "Qui tollis", and ends with a resounding Amen in triple meter, one of the composer's favorite devices. The Credo in three sections also ends with an extraordinary Amen, and unlike many settings of this occasionally problematic text, never descends into verbosity. The Sanctus is especially lush, and the contrasting trio sections Pleni cunt and Benedictus, SSA and ATB respectively, are magnificently punctuated by an expressively urgent Hosanna, providing another opportunity to insert a triple meter, again, like the Gloria, departing from the more strictly observed parody in other sections. Manchicourt only set a single Agnus Dei, and interestingly chose to keep to six voices rather than, as one might expect, expanding to eight.

[...]

It is easy to be seduced by the beauty and challenge of these compositions. The inner harmonic and rhythmic architecture of the six or eight voices, the surprising dissonances, the daunting yet satisfying acrobatic phrases, and the sheer loveliness of experiencing in an intimate way how all these components work joyously together makes this music a delight to perform. Manchicourt, at last, has been discovered and appreciated. Even after all this time, and the lengthy exile into obscurity, his music remains as magnificent and evocative today as it undoubtedly was at the court of Philip II."

~John Bradley
Source: CD booklet
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