Mater Matris Christi

Music from the Choir Books of Annaberg

"Renaissance Music in Perfection" RBB

The church of the Holy Ann at Annaberg in the central Erzgebirge in Germany had its inauguration on St. Anne's Day (26th of July) 1519.
For hundreds of years, the inventory included two manuscripts that were long known as the "Choir Books of Annaberg". It is understood that they were brought to the town at the time of the inauguration and remained there for centuries until they were transferred to the library of Saxony in Dresden as a long term loan.
These two manuscripts contain works of Heinrich Finck, Thomas Stolzer and Alexander Agricola as well as compositions of Antoine Brumel, Heinrich Isaac, Jacob Obrecht, Josquin Desprez, Loyset Compere and Pierre de la Rue. Especially remarkable about the Coir Books is the great number of anonymous compositions which gives us a very good source for European Sacred music Performance in the Renaissance times.
Though one has known of their existence since the early 20th century, the Choir Books of Annaberg have not been revised or transcribed into modern notation to this day.
Capella de la Torre has done research concerning the two manuscript books and edited a big number of works from them fort the first time. After more than 400 years this music can so be heard again by the audience.
A further exceptional element is the combination of double reed wind instruments of the period with song. It is specifically documented that so called "Stadtpfeifer" (publicly employed musicians, who performed at civic occasions) took part in the liturgy of many churches in Renaissance Europe. Hence this project not only takes into account the vocal practice of the 16th century but also the most recent findings on
instrumental music during divine services.