This hour, Harmonia is commemorating Easter. Part of both the masses for Easter Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, and the celebration of Vespers on those days, is the antiphon setting of the words from Psalm 118, Verse 24, which begins, “This is the day the Lord has made” and ends with “Alleluya.”
We’ll hear the chant itself; then we’ll hear how it changed with the advent of polyphony, going all the way from the 13th to the 17th centuries, travelling on both familiar roads to famous composers like Byrd and Praetorius, and on less travelled paths that lead us to convents and possibly even a daughter of Lucrezia Borgia, who, as it happens, is the subject of our featured recording.
PLAYLIST
Le jeu des pèlerins d'Emmaüs drame liturgique du XIIe siècle
Ensemble Organum, Marcel Peres
Harmonia Mundi, France 1990
Anon
tr. 3 Haec dies (4:38)
Segment A:
Abbaye de Solésmes, Vol 6 - Paques
Choeur des Moines de l'Abbaye Saint-Pierre de Solésmes, Dom Joseph Gajard
[Saint Pierre de Solesmes Abbey Monks' Choir]
Decca 2008
Track 6: Anon chant, Haec dies (3:03)
Mystery of Ancient Voices
Mora Vocis
Pierre Vernay 1993 / B003URMZTY
T8: Anonymous: Haec dies (05:15)
Passage 138 BC - AD 1611
Empire Brass Quintet
Telarc 1994 / B000003CZU
Anon
tr. 1 Haec dies (2:01)
Heinrich Isaac: Missa Paschalis (Easter Mass)
Ensemble Officium, Wilfried Rombach
Christophorus 2012 / B0074Y2Z62
Heinrich Isaac
Tr. 4 Haec dies (5:54)
Lucretia Borgia's daughter: princess, nun and musician motets from a 16th century convent
Musica Secreta and Celestial Sirens
Obsidian 2017 / B01N6IU06PB0074Y2Z62
Leonora d'Este (?)
Tr. 3 Haec dies (5:53)
Theme Music Bed: Ensemble Alcatraz, Danse Royale, Elektra Nonesuch 79240-2 / B000005J0B, T.12: La Prime Estampie Royal
:59 Midpoint Break Music Bed:
O dulcis amor
La Villanella Basel
Ramée, 2007/ B00082ZR58
Caterina Assandra
Tr. 2 Ave verum corpus (just the first minute of 3:13)
Segment B:
Byrd: Cantiones sacrae
Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge, Richard Marlow
Chaconne/Chandos 2007
William Byrd
Tr. 1 Haec dies (2:12)
William Byrd Edition Vol 6: Music for Holy Week and Easter
The Cardinall's Musick, Andrew Carwood)
Universal Classics 2015 / B000058UUB
William Byrd
Tr. 12 (Cant. Sacrae) Haec dies (1:14)
O dulcis amor
La Villanella Basel
Ramée 2007 / B00082ZR58
Caterina Assandra
tr. 3 Haec dies (4:03)
Praetorius, M.: Easter Mass
Weser Renaissance Bremen, Manfred Cordes
CPO 2017 / B01K8LS43K
Michael Praetorius
Tr. 16 Haec est dies (5:56)
Featured Release:
Lucretia Borgia's daughter: princess, nun and musician motets from a 16th century convent
Musica Secreta and Celestial Sirens
Obsidian 2017 / B01N6IU06PB0074Y2Z62
Leonora d'Este
Tr. 7 Salve sponsa dei (2:02)
Tr. 14 O beate Christi confessor (3:45)