's Messe de Nostre Dame (around 1364) is the earliest surviving example of a polyphonic mass in the name of a single composer. Strangely enough, the development of the polyphonic mass of the dead (requiem) took longer to develop. The earliest surviving proof in this area - Ockeghem's Requiem (after 1450) - was nevertheless a masterpiece from the start. Before Ockeghem, also seems to have composed
… a Requiem, which, however, has been lost. With this, Ockeghem historically set the tone for a genre that relied on penitence, melancholy and dark colors. This CD by the sonorous sounding vocal ensemble Diabolus in Musica also contains the Requiem (c. 1506) by . The voices here go even deeper than with Ockeghem, the textures are even more complex. And then the Sanctus, with sound layers that are as imposing as they are threatening. In the Lux Eterna the sky still breaks open, towards eternity. (HJ)more
