Masters of Imitation

Choral works by Lassus, Casulana, Bob Chilcott et al

The Sixteen/harry Christophers

Coro COR16203 66:37 mins

In today’s world, imitating (or ‘sampling’) another musician’s work can land a composer in the dock for plagiarism or breach of copyright. In the

16th century, conductor Harry Christopher argues, it was ‘the ultimate compliment’ – respectfully referencing someone’s else’s piece, to create a new one of your own.

The art of ‘parody’ (the Renaissance term does not imply comic belittlement) is examined by The Sixteen here. No more famous ‘imitator’ existed than Lassus, six of whose choral pieces are included. His Lauda Jerusalem Dominum is based on a plainsong of the same title, and sits at the heart of the recital. Where The Sixteen’s performance of the plainsong itself is exquisitely pure and minimalistic, the four-part re-work is joyously refulgent, intricately twining together strands of melody derived from the source material.

Perpetuating the ‘parody’ tradition, Christophers commissioned Bob Chilcott to set the same psalm text, taking another work by Lassus (the madrigal Cantai, or piango) as his model. Again, both pieces are winningly performed, the uneasy harmonies of the madrigal attenuated in Chilcott’s composition by a broader range of mood and gleaming, luxuriant part-writing.

Making pre-existing works more elaborate, often by adding additional lines of counterpoint, was another form of ‘parody’ technique. Known as ‘si placet’ (‘if it pleases’), the approach is typified by Guyot de Châtelet’s Benedicta es caelorum Regina, a sumptuous expansion of a Josquin motet from six parts to 12. Two expressive madrigals by Maddalena Casulana, the first female composer to have a book of her own music published, further enhance the attractions of this fascinating anthology. Terry Blain PERFORMANCE

RECORDING