Lassus: The Alchemist, Volume 2

In this second installment of the three-part project “Lassus: The Alchemist,” the Magnificat Ensemble explores the composer’s motet-based Magnificats. It is remarkable that only eight of Lassus’s thirty-five hymns of praise to Mary based on polyphonic models draw musical inspiration from motets. But although the number of these Magnificats is relatively small, their musical quality and impact are outstanding. Whether in Praeter rerum seriem, in which he expands Josquin’s motet into a monumental, 250-measure Magnificat, or in Aurora lucis rutilat, which transforms his own Easter motet into a jubilant musical celebration, these works exemplify some of Lassus’s finest compositional achievements. Inspired by the rich musical resources of the ducal chapel in Munich, where Lassus worked from 1557 until his death in 1594, this album brings together voices and instruments in various combinations, further enhancing the richness and variety of the scores.