Missa Gaudeamus Missa Pro victoria. Motets
(Tomás Luis de Victoria)

Tomás Luis de Victoria mixes the order and beauty of sixteenth-century Italian writing with the passion and fervour of Spanish music. This disc presents two sides of his character, one serious and devotional (Missa Gaudeamus), the other fun and entertaining (Missa Pro Victoria): one is based on a sonorous motet by Morales and the other on a chanson by Jannequin. Victoria has kept the characters of each piece but also infused the music with his own genius. Also here is a selection of motets in honour of the saints of the Church. Victoria may not have written any secular music during his life but there is more than a hint of madrigal writing in his descriptions of the lives of these remarkable people.

There are so many high spots on this disc that it is impossible to mention them all… This superbly sung recording affords an unmissable opportunity. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. GRAMOPHONE