Queen of Hearts: Laments and Songs of Regret for Queens Terrestrial and Celestial

Featuring

Joseph Wicks
Joshua Cooter
Sam Mitchell
Owain Park
Guy James
Michael Craddock

Alasdair Austin
The Gesualdo Six
Antoine Brumel
Josquin des Prez
Loyset Compère
Pierre de La Rue
Costanzo Festa
Antonius Divitis
Johannes Prioris
Jean Mouton
Jean l'Héritier
Ninfea Cruttwell-Reade
Antoine de Févin
Nicolas Gombert
Jacobus Clemens non Papa

Did you know?

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Compositional Technique

A technique called 'cantus prius factus' is used in some motet-chansons, where an existing melody (like a chant or a tenor part from another work) forms the basis for new compositions.

Performer Biography

The Gesualdo Six is an award-winning British vocal ensemble, formed in 2014, known for imaginative programming and impeccable blend, performing at major festivals worldwide.

Historical Context

The album explores music connected to historical figures like Anne of Brittany, Margaret of Austria, Anne Boleyn, and Mary Tudor, who were queens or influential women in European courts.

Composition History

The 'regretz chansons' on this album were inspired by Anne of Brittany (1477-1514), whose heart was repeatedly broken and for whom many such songs were written.

Compositional Technique

Many pieces on this album are 'motet-chansons', which combine sacred Latin texts with contemporary courtly concerns in the vernacular, blurring the lines between heavenly and earthly queens.

Historical Context

Margaret of Austria (1480-1530), a powerful leader connected to many European courts, was a major musical patron who commissioned a 'chansonnier' (a large book of chansons) reflecting her taste and renown.

Album & Artwork

The album title, 'Queen of Hearts', refers to music written for European queenly courts and the 'regretz chansons' that often mention the heart in a tragic sense.