Gregorian chants, lute songs by Campion and Dowland, and sacred music by Gesualdo, Josquin and Palestrina are among the musical treasures in Naxos’ Early Music Collection. Presented in the collection are works from the Medieval and Renaissance periods, performed by internationally renowned ensembles and soloists on authentic and modern instruments.
Explore and enjoy this rich collection of early music repertoire, including the new release – DE LA RUE: Complete Magnificats with Antiphons (8.557896–97).
“This is another stunning release by Naxos, which should appeal to absolutely everyone. It is a journey of the soul to the origins, and we all need such a journey. Urgently recommended.” – Classical Express (USA) on Adorate Deum – Gregorian Chant from the Proper of the Mass (8.550711)
At the turn of the 15th century, Pierre de La Rue was the leading composer working north of the Alps. A member of the Habsburg-Burgundian chapel, he composed polyphony for all the major liturgical genres. This is the first recording of La Rue’s seven surviving Magnificats as well as three of his six settings of the Salve Regina, one of which quotes chansons by Dufay and Binchois. Varied voicing, surprising tonal relationships and contrasting textures make each setting distinct. La Rue’s mastery of old and new musical styles endows these pieces with great expressive force.
