Ensemble Villancico - The Källunge Codex 1622

Ensemble Villancico - The Källunge Codex 1622
MP3 | 192 Kbps | 72 Mb

This is a recording of real rarities, a selection of Reformation choral works from the enigmatic Codex Kellungensis, which originally contained over 300 pieces of music, from the Källunge Church on the Swedish island of Gotland. The Ensemble Villancico, under the direction of the energetic composer-conductor Peter Pontvik, has associated itself very much with this repertoire, and the group has a tremendous feel for it, all the way from motets for solo voice and organ to massive double-choir textures. That´s just what the disc begins with, in fact - a stunning two-choir setting of Exultate iusti by Philipp Dulichius, known, apparently, as "the Pomeranian Lassus". There´s no other work here by this composer, but the level of invention and grasp of choral texture is so high that one´s appetite is immediately whetted for more. Other works are mostly by better-known composers - Vulpius, Aichinger (a fine Duo seraphim), Praetorius, Jacob Handl (Gallus), Hassler and Lassus - but there are also rarities by Johan Bahr (a composer actually from Gotland) and Nicolaus Zangius (a fascinating madrigalistic Congratulamini using both Latin and German), for example.

Ensemble Villancico is possessed of transparency, considerable energy and a finely honed timbre, and is clearly both comfortable with and excited by this repertoire. Given the interest of the music, which is not only of high quality but helps to fill in an important historical and cultural gap, I have no hesitation in expressing a strong desira to hear further recordings of the Källunge music by this group.