JOHANNES OCKEGHEM, PRINCE OF MUSIC

Cappella Nova - Richard Taruskin
Corpus Christi Church, 121st Street between Broadway & Amsterdam Ave.,  New York City
Sunday, November 14, 1976, 3:00 p.m.

Original program (JPG format)

Part One [all pieces in succession]

Motto: "Nata et grata polo" ( Encomium musices, 1590, by Andreas Pevernage (1543-1591))
        Music is begotten of the Gods and beloved of the muses. It is a concordant blending of different notes
        and voices; the person who isn't moved by it is neither a man nor a beast, but a stone.

PROGRAM

• Motet: "Celeste Beneficium"
     A celestial blessing has come into the world: it is the Word of God,
     shining on us all throughout Germany.
     Accept this celestial blessing, Germany, and be grateful (Grata, grata);
     you are hearing the voice of the eternal God, telling you that salvation is here.
     Walk [in this blessing] while you have light.
  
  
• Missa Prolationum:
  • Kyrie
  • Gloria
  • Credo

—Brief intermission—

Part Two [all pieces in succession]

• Marian motets:
  • "Ave Maria"
          Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you.
          Blessed are you among women,
          and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus Christ. Amen.
    
    
  • "Salve Regina"
          Hail, Queen, Mother of Mercy
          our life, our sweetness, and our hope, Hail!
          We call out to you as exiled sons of Eve,
          We cry to you, wailing and weeping in this vale of tears.
          Oh therefore, our Advocate, turn those merciful eyes of yours toward us,
          And offer Jesus, the blessed fruit of your womb, to us after this exile.
          O merciful, O faithful, O sweet Virgin Mary.
    
    
• Missa Prolationum:
  • Sanctus
  • Agnus Dei
    
    
• Missa pro defunctis: Offertory verse, "Hostias et preces"
     We offer to you, O Lord, our sacrifice and prayers.
     Accept these on behalf of the souls whom we remember today;
     Make them, O Lord, move from death to life.
  
  
• "In Joannem Okegi, Musicorum principem, Naenia"
   Elegy for Johannes Ockeghem, Prince of Music
   Words by Desiderius Erasmus (1466-1536)
   Music by Johannes Lupi (1506-1539)
      Has that golden voice of Ockeghem, once so noble, fallen silent?
      Has that paragon of music gone down to dusty death?
      Apollo, join the faithful in sad lamentations,
      And you, too, Calliope, with your sisters, pour out pious tears.
      Weep, all ye who were captured by the sweet art of music,
      and sing your praises to the man:
      That holy Phoenix of the Apollonian art has fallen.
  
      What have you done, hateful death? (Quid facis, invida mors?)
      The wonderful golden voice of Ockeghem has fallen silent,
      that once resounded beneath sacred vaults.
      Once it melted heavenly ears, and earthly ones at the same time,
      once it moved penitent hearts.
      What have you done, hateful death?
      You should have been satisfied boldly to carry human things away—
      but music is divine: why do you do violence to the things of the gods?
  
  
• Motet: "Gaude Maria"
        Rejoice, O Virgin Mary, you have boldly put down all heresies,
        because you believed the things that the Archangel Gabriel told you.
        As a virgin you conceived both God and man,
        and you remained a virgin after your birth-giving.
  
        We believe that the Archangel Gabriel gave you words from God.
  
        We believe that your womb was made pregnant by the Holy Spirit.
  
        As a virgin you conceived both God and man,
        and you remained a virgin after your birth-giving.