Customer Reviews

Nicholas Gombert: Missa "Media vita in morte sumus"

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Gombert presents stumbling blocks in the form of the seriousness of his personality and the density of his polyphony (Taruskin's commentary in his Oxford history seems quite accurate). However, the perfection of his musical world is a direct response to what he sees as the fallibility of temporal life. Notwithstanding the comparison that one reviewer has made to JSBach, Gombert's achievement I think is rather more comparable to that of Bruckner, whose works also struggle to reach out beyond the physical world to an ectastic spiritual plane. In this remarkable, dark composition, like a Gothic cathedral on a sunless day, the grandeur of the architecture dominates the contrasting but veiled musical colors passing through the stained glass. Gombert also evokes, in the name of the mass, the unbroken unity of life and death --- as did Poussin in his wonderful paintings on the subject of 'Et in Arcadia ego'.

This disc is not for everyone or every mood, and it stands almost solitary, like its composer. One of the great, uncompromising works of the period, to put alongside Pierre de la Rue's Requiem, Brumel's Et Terrae Motus, and, of course, many of Gombert's incomparable motets and his individual mass movements (such as the extraordinary Credo). Josquin specialists can rank here their own favorite work of the master. Gombert's unique voice, however, remains distinctive, and for this writer, the concentration and cumulative aesthetic effect is at least as great as Josquin's.

If I were reviewing only the performance, I would give the Hilliard Ensemble five stars instantly. But in the case of such little-known music as a mass by Nicolas Gombert, it seems needful to react to the total effect of the composition and the performance. So... I have to confess that I find Gombert difficult to enjoy. I've sung some of his motets, and read lots of his scores, and I sincerely admire his compositional skill, but I usually find his dense five-and-six-part polyphony too thick and too earnest to HEAR with pleasure. Though he was highly regarded as the successor to Josquin in his era, I can't personally consider him the equal of Brumel, Senfl, Victoria, Palestrina or others. Perhaps it's my limitation, not his. In effect, this disk by the Hilliards is the best advocate available for Gombert, and I will listen to it again soon to see if it grows on me.

Added several years later: Very helpful commenters have encouraged me to seek out other performances of Gombert, and I have done so. The best of the lot currently available, I think is the recording by Peter Urquhart and Capella Alamire, mentioned in those comments.

It is fourth Gombert CD in my collection, which is corresponding to my opinion absolutely precisely how it is necessary to execute his works: with the good acoustics, perfectly executed low tones and a significant share of mysticism. First three are " Music from the Court of Charles V " on Sony (The Huelgas Ensemble), " Nicolaes Gombert and the Court of Charles V " on Eufoda (Currende Consort) and motet on "Lamentationes" CD on MDG (Josquin Capella). All other executions for me are easier disappointment or just a waste of time. By the way I do not know how the rest but for me all The Hilliard Ensemle's records which has been released on EMC for some reason seem more powerful, than on Virgin. There can be a matter of changing of the record personnel.

It is hard to find recordings of this great composer in general, and it is even harder to find satisfying performances. Because of the quality of the compositions, even a "good" performance is much to be treasured, as things stand now. This performance by The Hilliard Ensemble is more than "very good". As Mr. Fox previously commented, the high voices can sometimes dominate unfairly, obscuring the lower tones that Gombert is so famous for integrating in his compositions. Nevertheless, the clarity of the voices and the vibrant pacing more than makes up for the overly ambitious dose of ambience noted by Mr. Fox. Hearing Gombert performed completely free of the lugubriousness that has plagued so many other recordings is a true revelation. The pieces themselves are so brilliant that this recording remains a valuable part of our current trove of Gombert's treasured creations.

Music to dream by!! I can't wait to buy more of their music.. It makes you feel close to Heaven.

I am always glad to get my hands on a disc by this group,who have been a source of joy for me, but having in recent years been ever more astounded by Gombert as a composer,I have to say this recording doesn't tickle my ear in the way his music usually does.I stress the word "recording", for microphones rather than voices may be my problem here. My quibble is with the over-generous ambience around the voices which does not help the ear (or my ear, anyway) to absorb possibly the most exquisite part-writing pre-J.S.Bach. Gombert's music does not work as a general wash of sound and I think depends more on clarity. It is very far removed from the Renaissance "relaxation zone". Also ,to me, the counter-tenor dominates the argument too much,and this seems to ally with the reverbance to obscure the polyphony in the lower, and especially, middle voices- a thing which is perhaps 'got away with' in the case of other composers -but with Gombert I would say not. Jeremy Summerly describes the motet "Media Vita" as a "Renaissance masterpiece".If I were to judge by this recording alone I don't think I would agree, but listen to the same piece in his own performance with the Oxford Camerata, or with Henry's Eight from the mid 90s and you may just think he is given to understatement. However, I love The Hilliard Ensemble and Gombert so I have to reservedly recommend it , particularly since others have liked it, and, moreover, if I lost my own copy ,I would buy another.