Label: CHRISTOPHORUS SACD 77283
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World Premiere RecordingS!!!
JOHANN HEINRICH SCHMELZER (c. 1623 – 1680): Corrente per l’intrada di S.M.C.; Sonata I a 8 - 2 Trombe, 2 Violini, 4 Viole & Basso continuo; Sonata VIII per Violino e Viola da gamba; ANTONIO BERTALI (1605 – 1669): Introitus de Pentecoste Spiritus Domini replevit orbem terrarum; Missa Sancti Spiritus: Kyrie & Gloria; Veni, Sancte Spiritus a 12 (Sequentia); Credo (Missa Sancti Spiritus); Sanctus & Agnus Dei (Missa Sancti Spiritus); Venite gentes, accurite populi a 12 - 6 Voci, 3 Violette, 3 Viole & Basso continuo; WOLGANG EBNER (1612 – 1665): Toccata tertii toni - Organo; ANTONIO CALDARA (1670 – 1736): Te Deum laudamus per l’incoronazione; GREGORIAN CHANT: Desiderium anim' eius tribuisti / Unxerunt Salomonem Sadoc Sacerdos/Unxit te Deus; Ecce mitto angelum meum

Johann Rosenmüller Ensemble/Arno Paduch
A coronation ceremony for an Emperor has never been recorded (except the medieval ceremony for Emperor Henry I in the year 1002, see CHR 77251), the reason is the complicated liturgy and the many of different sources to be read. The musicologist and musician Arno Paduch worked on this subject for ten years and now recorded the coronation liturgy for Emperor Leopold I who was crowned in 1658. Not only trumpets and timpani – the symbols of the imperial power – are to be heard, but more than thirty musicians in the Johann Rosenmüller Ensemble. The main composer of the music is Antonio Bertali with a splendid mass for eight voices (and many instruments) and two big Motets for the coronation ceremony. The instrumental works are by Schmelzer and the ceremony ends with a magnificent coronation Te Deum by Caldara.

Label: CHRISTOPHORUS SACD 77288
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GIOVANNI PIERLUIGI DA PALESTRINA (1525 – 1594): Motetto Cantantibus organis –
Biduanis ac triduanis; Motette Dum aurora finem daret (1564)
Canticum Canticorum (1583/84), Magnificat primi toni octibus vocibus
Motette Corona aurea – Domine praevenisti (1572)
Compagnia dei Musici di Roma (Antonio Stabile, Francesco Soriano, Giovanni Andrea Dragoni, G.P. Da Palestrina, Ruggiero Giovanelli, Prospero Santini, Curcio Mancini): Missa Cantantibus organis a 12 voci

Ensemble Officium/Wilfried Rombach
In around 1580, Rome's most important musicians joined forces in the Compagnia dei Musici di Roma under the patronage of the Pope. Masterminded by the famous Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, the Compagnia collectively composed a one-off in the history of music, the like of which was not emulated until the 19th century with the Messa per Rossini. This composition, a twelve-part mass for Cecilia, the patron saint of church music and patron of the Compagnia, is the work of six composers including Palestrina himself. A Palestrina motet for St. Cecilia was taken as a model which each composer was invited to elaborate as part of the Mass. With so many collaborators keen to demonstrate their compositional prowess, the result is at once a magnificent example of Renaissance vocal music and a compendium of the compositional art of the Palestrina School.

Label: CHRISTOPHORUS SACD 77313
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GIOVANNI PIERLUIGI DA PALESTRINA (1525 – 1594) – MISSA PAPAE MARCELLI – MOTETS FOR ASCENSION DAY:
Viri Galilaei – Introitus in Ascensione Domini (greg.); Omnes gentes – Psalmus a 8 voci; Kyrie (Missa Papae Marcelli); Gloria (Missa Papae Marcelli); Alleluia Ascendit Deus (greg.); Jesu nostra redemptio – Hymnus in Ascensione Domini a 4-6 voci; Credo (Missa Papae Marcelli); Beati omnes – Motetto a 12 voci; Ascendit Deus – Offertorium in Ascensione Domini (greg.); Viri Galilae – Ascendit Deus (Motetto a 6 voci); Sanctus (Missa Papae Marcelli); Benedictus (Missa Papae Marcelli); Caro mea – Motetto a 5 voci; Coenantibus illis – Motetto a 4 voci; Agnus Dei (Missa Papae Marcelli)

Ensemble Officum/Wilfried Rombach
The question of "codification" is a fundamental problem when it comes to the interpretation of Renaissance music. Should the parts notated in the old clefs be taken literally, or is it necessary or indeed essential to transpose from extreme registers? Regardless of any fundamental musicological discussion, there are tangible, audible effects.
On Wilfried Rombach's recording of Palestrina's famous Missa Papæ Marcelli featuring the ensemble officium, those parts of the mass where the soprano part constantly went into extreme registers now sound much more rounded and unfold in a serene manner. The CD's repertoire is complemented by large-scale motets for between five and twelve parts for Ascension Day.
“Although the Tallis Scholars remain the world's premier Palestrina performers, if forced to make such comparisons I'd without reservation say that Ensemble Officium is very close behind. I look forward to hearing more – much more – from this excellent group.” - David Vernier, Classicstoday