Oltremontani

Singers and music from the Netherlands were highly sought after in Italy in the 15th and 16th centuries. The first of these oltremontani ("those from beyond the mountains") is generally considered to be Guillaume Du Fay († Cambrai 1474). However, the first musical contacts between the Netherlands and Italy date back to around 1400. Musical clerics such as Johannes Engardus (from Bruges), Hubertus de Salinis, and Johannes Ciconia (both from the Prince-Bishopric of Liège) crossed the Alps to pursue careers in Italy. In this concert, the ensemble Diskantores provides an overview of their production in Italian sources. The ensemble presents several newly restored works attributable to Johannes Ciconia, produced as part of the Lacunae Ciconiae research project (Haute école de musique de Genève HES-SO).

The ensemble Diskantores ("polyphonists") was founded in 2015 by students, alumni, and professors from the Royal Conservatory of The Hague (Netherlands). Diskantores offers a fresh approach to 14th and 15th-century polyphony, sung by male voices, in innovative and engaging performances. Their interpretations are based on a deep understanding of the repertoire and its historical context, as well as experiences in improvised polyphony and singing from original notation. Their first recording, Hollandse Fragmenten (muso, 2021), was praised by critics. In this program, Diskantores collaborates with Cristina-Alís Raurich, a renowned specialist in medieval keyboards.

Programme:
Petrus de Brugis (?) Comes flandrie/Rector creatorum/In cimbalis

Johannes Ciconia (?), Fugir non posso

Johannes Engardus, Furnis reliquisti/Equum est
Hubertus de Salinis, Si nichil/In pretio premium
Hubertus de Salinis, Psallat Chorus/Eximie Pater

Anon, Indescort (Codex Faënza)

Anon. En discort sunt Desir et Esperanche
Anon. Esperance qui en mon cueur s’enbat

Johannes Ciconia (?), Sancta maria regina caelorum

Hubertus de Salinis, Salve Regina tr. Virgo mater
Johannes Ciconia, O beatum incendium

Bartolinus de Padua, Qualle leçe move (Codex Faënza)

Johannes Ciconia (?), O bella rosa perla angelicata
Johannes Ciconia, Ben che da vui *
Johannes Ciconia, Io crido amor *

Bartolinus de Padua, Alta regina di virtute

Johannes Ciconia (?), O proles hispanie
Johannes Ciconia (?), Padu(…) serenans/Pastor Bonum*
Johannes Ciconia, O padua sidus praeclarum

*Restitutions of the project Lacunae Ciconiae (Haute Ecole de Musique de Genève HES-SO).