Western religious music from different centuries.
In this episode: two Requiems of the Low Countries, by Philippus Van Steelant and Pierre-Hercule Brehy.
At the start of the 17th century, burials in Antwerp tended to be quite lavish, including a Requiem Mass for vocals and instruments. Therefore, it is very likely that many Requiems were composed during that time, but as they didn’t get printed they’ve rarely been preserved.
This lends even more significance to the Requiem by Philippus Van Steelant, which was discovered by the Belgian musicologist Stefanie Beghein during her PhD (‘Kerkmuziek, consumptie en confessionalisering. Het muziekleven aan Antwerpse parochiekerken, c. 1585-1797’).
Van Steelant was an organ player at St. James’ Church in Antwerp from 1644 until his death in 1670. The Requiem he wrote was also passed down in a manuscript, but he noted down a different and shorter Requiem in a collection of motets, which was published as his opus 1 in 1656. This is the work we will listen to in this programme.
Philippus Van Steelant (1611-1670)
1. Missa pro defunctis 6 Voc. & 6 Voc. Ripien. (1656)
CantoLX, B’Rock Orchestra conducted by Frank Agsteribbe
(CD: “Antwerp Requiem ca. 1650” – Pentatone PTC 5187 006, 2022)
The second Requiem is from Pierre-Hercule Brehy. He was the first organ player of the Saint Nicolas Church in his home town Brussels, until he was appointed precentor at the collegiate Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula in 1705, leading the church choir. He stayed here until his death in 1737. His requiem is followed by the psalm De profundis, part of the catholic prayer cycle Office for the Dead.
Pierre-Hercule Brehy (1673-1737)
2. Missa pro defunctis
3. De profundis
CantoLX, Ensemble de la Chapelle Saint-Marc conducted by Frank Agsteribbe
(CD: “Flemish Requiem” – Et’cetera KTC 1642, 2019)
Addition:
Lambert Chaumont (ca. 1630-1712)
4. Toccata
Luc Ponet, organ
(CD: “Le Grand Siècle de l’Orgue liégeois” – Et’cetera KTC 1638, 2019)
Image: cover of “Antwerp Requiem ca. 1650”
