Hans-Leo Hassler - Two Motets.

Cantate Domino. Domine Dominus Noster. Andrew Carwood & Matthew Vine, solo tenors. The Choir of Westminster Abbey. James O'Donnell, chorus master. His Majestys Sagbutts & Cornetts. Jeremy West, conductor. ______________________________ Hans-Leo Hassler (AD 1562 - 1612) is one of the most remarkable German Composers belonging to De Lassus' school (he was pupil of Leonhard Lechner, Lassus' student of Counterpoint and Composition). Althought he was a Christian-Protestant, he wrote a large number of Latin Settings for Christian-Catholic use: among these, we can find lots of Motets usable as Mass Propers. As usual for pre-Baroque Composers such as G.Gabrieli and Schütz, Hassler exploit polichorality, althought not in such a massive and impressive way as above-mentioned Composers and his coeval Erbach, but, however, he experimented various vocal and instrumental combinations. In both the present Motets Hassler calls for three "Chori", that are vocal and istrumental groups. In these cases, two instrumental groups, free in their composition (as well the author very probably intended to call for cornetts, sacque-boutes and other wind instruments), each one featuring also a solo tenor, form the first and the third "Choruses" and the vocal ensemble, composed a 4-part (SATB) "A Cappella" (full, with more than one singer for each part) choir, the second one. Triple and Pair-times sections intersect themselves in the same piece, and solemn "Tutti" give emphasis to the most important parts of the text in the Intrada-Motet "Cantate Domino", a Latin Anthem that still be sung at the opening of Roman Christian-Catholic Masses, and a very particular triple-flat (High/Middle/Low) disposal of the three "Choirs" animated the Post-Communio Motet "Domine Dominus Noster".