Le Morales nouveau est arrivé!
Morales CD3 - the L'homme armé Masses - Robert Hollingworth.
Our first album on CORO Records, out on general release 1st May.
There now follows the obligatory unboxing sequence.
Otd 1526 Charles V married Isabella of Portugal at the Alcazar of Seville. Morales was almost certainly in Seville at the time, would have been present at the occasion, and would likely have met Gombert who was in Charles's service. What would the great composer's have talked about? The catering?
Our next concert is in six weeks' time (Sat 18th April) - an instalment in our series of concerts featuring the beautiful and stirring masses of Cristóbal de Morales, one of the 16th century's more heavily-bearded composers. Robert Hollingworth directs, so fun is assured.
bit.ly/DPMorales5
It was otd 3 years ago that we released Vol. 1 of our Morales series (known as 'CD1') on an unsuspecting public. Gramophone was impressed, and thought that "the future of this bold project is in the best possible hands".
It's now available for a snip on the DP website.
Top geezer Jeremy Summerly has directed us a few times, the last occasion being a Victoria Requiem in 2022. He founded Oxford Camerata in 1984, and conducted of the Schola Cantorum of Oxford 1990-96. A conductor of over 40 recordings, he is a frequent reviewer on BBC Radio 3’s Record Review.
Happy Birthday, Charles V, born 1500! 👑 🎂 🥂
Morales never worked for the Emperor despite angling for a job by composing a mass setting on Charles' favourite tune (Mille regretz) & portraying him in the woodcut of the start of the Kyrie when the Missa L'homme armé à4 was printed.
Was he too subtle?
Otd in 1603, Sebastián de Vivanco took part in the competition for the position of Prof of Music at Salamanca University. Frankly if he'd just shown them the Kyrie of his Missa Assumpsit Jesus he could have saved the judges and the other candidates a lot of time.
In the church there are four Marian antiphons, each one appropriate to a different time of the year. Right now the appropriate antiphon is Ave Regina caelorum (Hail, Queen of Heaven). Here's Esquivel's upbeat setting, a non-stop cavalcade of imitative points.
If there was 1 recording that really opened my ears to the historical performance of Spanish polyphony it was Savall's 1992 Morales Requiem, using an all-male ensemble (correct) supported by a viol consort (wrong, but gorgeous). A bittersweet moment when our recording was compared to it favourably!
The online box office for our next concert (Sat 18th April) opens today. It's the next instalment of our Morales concert series, and features the Missa de Beata Virgine a4, Missa Tristezas me matan and the Magnificat quarti toni, conducted by Robert Hollingworth. Bring it on!
bit.ly/DPMorales5
A little off-topic, I know, but I found this recently and felt I had to share.
This is none other than György Kurtág and his late wife Márta playing their transcription of the Sonatina from Bach's Actus tragicus. Mesmerising and moving.
In the church's year, today is the Feast of the Presentation when St Simeon comes up with "Lord, now let your servant depart in peace...".
Esquivel's rather lovely setting of the text is one of the highlights of our 2020 album.
I know that I'm the only one that cares, but it just really impresses me that Circumdederunt from our Requiem album has been streamed more than 20,000 times. Move over, Madonna.
News from our pals at Cambridge Early Music.
Armonico Consort: The Forgotten Scarlatti
Fri 6 Mar - Trinity Chapel
Combining the grandeur of Bach & Handel with the complexity of Gabrielli & Tallis, this programme of F. Scarlatti’s rarely performed masterpieces is not to be missed!
Tix: bit.ly/49lYeTP
We've got a bumper year in 2026, with *two* Morales albums lined up!
The first will feature both the L'homme armé masses, and will be out on 1st May.
The second comprises the Missa Ave Maria (the Mass with no altos...!), Magnificat tertii toni, and Missa Si bona suscepimus, coming out on 6th Nov.
We're delighted to announce that De Profundis has signed with CORO Records as one of their 4 Principal Artists alongside The Sixteen, I Fagiolini, & the Choir of Magdalen College, Oxford.
The first release on CORO (scheduled 1st May) will be an album of Morales's L'homme arme Masses.
cororecords.com
The news comes out tomorrow...
<excited>
At the start of the year we promised you some exciting news.
We'll be making an announcement on Tuesday.
Stay tuned.
Our chums at CMF are hosting Tenebrae at a concert in Trinity College Chapel on Fri 13th Feb.
Highlights include the choral version of Barber’s Adagio for Strings, Poulenc’s penitential motets, and Frank Martin’s deeply personal Mass for Double Choir. Yum
cambridgemusicfestival.co.uk/event/tenebr...
Now spinning: Dufay's Mass of St James the Greater - Binchois Consort / Kirkman.
After all the over-indulgence of recent weeks, it's good to get back to simple pleasures like this. A glorious musical palate-cleanser.
2025 was a good year for us - a couple of great gigs and the release of Morales vol. 2 to critical acclaim. Woo-hoo!
2026 is now shaping up to be even better. Exciting news to come soon. Watch this space!
To all our friends, both near and far, thank you for your engagement and support in 2025.
Very best wishes for 2026 from De Profundis HQ!
Here in the northern hemisphere, the days are at their shortest. We can dream of a 3-month residency in Australia at the end of next year, but in the meantime here's Esquivel's Compline hymn 'Te lucis ante terminum' which asks God for his protection during the night.
Merry Christmas, one and all!
Anyone fancy a Requiem...?
People of the world!
We present your Christmas Eve Eve soundtrack.
You're welcome.
Hugh Cutting - "one of the most exciting countertenors of recent times" (Gramomphone) - can be heard on our disc of music by Juan Esquivel. Here's Esquivel's exciting Advent motet Veni Domine, with a particularly good alto section!
(HC pic by Olivia da Costa Photography)
hyperion.lnk.to/cda68326_05
Interesting.
Spotted in Cambridge at the weekend. Something for De Profundis to do when we run out of Morales?
Our Morales Requiem album is in Gramophone's 'Critics' Choice' - the round-up of their favourite albums of 2025!
"[De Profundis's] tight ensemble, focussed musical sensibility [and] tonal weight enhances the intensity of Morales's sombre contemplations"
Christmas has come early to De Profundis HQ!
