"Last summer I made a performance with Currende, the choir conducted by Erik Van Nevel, in the context of the commemoration of the Great War, which was so good, what a group of voices can do with feelings and a story is magical."
Lieve Blancquaert, photographer, in Knack Focus
Saturday, September 21, 2019 at 7.30 pm
Abbey of Tongerlo.
The Festival of Flanders honors the legacy of Leonardo Da Vinci in nine cities and municipalities in the Kempen. The Portrait of a Musician, partly attributed to Da Vinci, might well be the image of contemporary and fellow genius Josquin Des Prez. Works by this Flemish polyphonist cannot be missed in a festival dedicated to the Sound of Da Vinci. Erik Van Nevel and the musicians of Currende take the powerful Missa Ave Maris Stella of Josquin as a starting point to make the beautiful church of the Abbey of Tongerlo shine.
Sunday September 22 at 10 am - Saint Peter's Church - Leuven
Josquin Des Prez, Missa Hercules Dux Ferrariae
The Missa Hercules Dux Ferrariae is dedicated to Ercole d'Este I, duke of Ferrara. The cantus firmus (the melody in the tenor), is derived from the duke's name. Josquin took the vowel from each syllable in the title 'Her-cu-les Dux Fer-ra-ri-ae' and placed that syllable on a note with the same vowel. In this way he obtained the following melody: re-ut-re ut-re-fa-mi-re (in contemporary notes: re-do-re-do-re-fa-mi-re). The story goes that the duke would have sung them himself. In any case, he would have been particularly flattered that his name was immortalized musically by the most famous composer of his time.
Cipriano de Rore: Le Vergine
The poetry of Francesco Petrarca has inspired many artists through the ages. His sonets and stanzes are so musical and speak very intensely to the imagination. His muse Laura, who in a certain sense has always remained an unattainable love and for which he spent almost all his life in literary ecstasy, has been a constant inspiration to him.
More about this new Currende CD
"Polyphony or baroque, it's always a party at Eriks, I know nobody else who can translate things technically in such a way and then make music out of it again."
Arnout Malfliet, bass
