In the period around 1500, the Illustrious Brotherhood of Our Blessed Lady (Illustre Lieve Vrouwe Broederschap) in s-Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands had one of the best vocal ensembles in the Low Countries. Cappella Pratensis, under artistic director Stratton Bull, will sing directly from facsimiles of the choir books that Petrus Alamire made for the Brotherhood. Many of the compositions were dedicated to the cult of the Virgin Mary, including the astonishing Missa cum jocunditate (Joyful Mass) by Pierre de la Rue who was probably still connected to the chapel as a singer at the time.

Musicologist Jennifer Bloxam, a professor at Williams University in the United States, will explain the context of one of de la Rues most popular compositions.

English spoken

19 August, 2015 13:00 -- ku-leuven-campus-carolus-antwerpen

Laus Polyphoniae has been supporting young talent for a long time. This year again we provide a stage for an emergent ensemble. The young Belgian singers collective Aequalis sings, just like 500 years ago, in the choir of Our Ladys Cathedral selected Mass parts from the Mechelen Choir Book, one of the most precious works of art owned by the Flemish Community. This magnificent and voluminous manuscript contains Masses by Pierre de la Rue and Matthaeus Pipelare. Aequalis has chosen to perform the Missa pascale of de la Rue. After this mini concert you are welcome to admire the original manuscripts in the exhibition Petrus Alamire, Polyphony in the picture.

Each concert lasts around 25 minutes.

This concert is also programmed on: thursday 20/08, friday 21/08, saturday 22/08 and sunday 23/08.

19 August, 2015 15:00 -- o-l-v-kathedraal

Paul Van Nevel opens his triptych for Laus Polyphoniae 2015 with a prayer text: dona nobis pacem. From the exceedingly rich repertoire of 181 Masses in Alamires choir books the artistic director of the Huelgas Ensemble selected six distinctive works, then singled out the Sanctus and Agnus Dei to be sung, respectively the fourth and fifth part of the Mass ordinary. The unchanged prayer texts proved to be an inexhaustible source of inspiration for many composers throughout the centuries. Allow yourself to be unsettled by the diversity of the compositions by anonymous and famous masters alike, such as Johannes Sticheler, Robert de Févin or Josquin des Prez. The parts of the Mass show illuminating musical con- nections or again striking contrasts, you can hear a serene meditation or complex 4- to 7-part polyphonic brainteasers, but the final words always bring us the same universal message: give us peace.

19 August, 2015 20:00 -- st-pauluskerk

The melancholic regretz-chansons from the illustrious Brussels Liedboek ms228, allegorical verses from lEpitre de lamant vert, iconographic and devotional symbolism and the personal motto Fortuna infortuna fort una all offer facets reflecting the complex life-style and emotional world of Margret of Austria.

Ensemble Zefiro Torna and visual artist Anne-Mie Van Kerckhoven give an abstract twist to these elements. The public is invited to enter into a singular hortus conclusus.

19 August, 2015 22:15 -- amuz

Musicologists, performers of polyphonic music and organisers of early music festivals from all over the world will attend the opening of the exhibition in the Cathedral of Our Lady in Antwerp and the start of Laus Polyphoniae. They will be in Antwerp for a five-day inter- national conference to discuss the latest musicological insights into the Alamire Complex, the history, meaning and repertoire of the manuscripts, and to debate the challenges of late mediaeval polyphony in performance practice. The keynote speakers are Prof. Herbert Kellman (US, University of Illinois), the editor-in- chief of the Census-Catalogue of Manuscripts of Polyphonic Music 1400-1550, an expert on the Alamire Complex and, more specifically, the famous Chigi Codex (in the Vatican), and Paul Van Nevel, an established master of polyphonic performance with his ensemble, the Huelgas Ensemble. The exciting lecture performances, every day at one oclock, are open to the general public. You will find more information about the conference on the website of the Alamire Foundation.

03 September, 2024 04:28 -- ku-leuven-campus-carolus-antwerpen

Familiarize yourself with the creativity of the young ensembles selected internationally by Musica. In keeping with our renowned IYAP two international top coaches will steer a special edition with music from Petrus Alamires manuscripts, to be performed in all possible combinations of instruments and vocalists.

20 August, 2015 10:00 -- museum-vleeshuis