Contemporaries praised Willaert's music as the embodiment of perfection, with one Florentine writer stating he never understood 'harmony' until hearing Willaert's work.
Compositional Technique
The "Musica Nova" print is notable for its meticulous coordination of text syllables and notes, ensuring correct pronunciation of the sung text.
Composition History
Adrian Willaert's "Musica Nova" was published in 1559, but the compositions themselves were much older, dating back fifteen to twenty years or more.
Composition History
The publication of "Musica Nova" was a lengthy process connected to Crown Prince Alfonso d'Este, later Duke of Ferrara, who acquired a manuscript of Willaert's pieces.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Adrian Willaert's music, particularly in "Musica Nova," is characterized by calmness and harmony, with few agitated gestures to disturb contemplation.
Composer Biography
Adrian Willaert, born around 1490, was about seventy years old when his "Musica Nova" was published.
Performer Biography
Singer Pur, the vocal ensemble on this recording, was founded in 1991 by five former Regensburg Domspatzen (cathedral choir boys) and is now a leading vocal group worldwide.
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