With this third CD box, the Egidius Quartet continues its project on the Leiden choirbooks. The ensemble has set up a substantial marketing campaign around the project, but that is not unjustified. The six Leiden choirbooks contain a lot of Renaissance music that has never been performed or recorded before. A special feature of this third choirbook is that it contains two complete Requiem masses,
… the famous six-part by Jean Richafort (see DBX6548) and an anonymous four-part. The latter is recorded on this CD, and that alone makes the CD unique. This anonymous Requiem is very sober and bare, with great attention to the Gregorian melodies that form the backbone of the music. Fascinating for those familiar with famous Requiem settings such as those of Ockeghem and Pierre de la Rue. Equally special are the two anonymous settings of the Regina caeli. The Egidius Quartet also sounds like a clock again, so that this CD cannot be recommended enough. (TC)more
