Jeffrey Tucker continues his pro-Josquin propaganda, using the supposedly-neutral Chant Cafe website as a platform for his controversial position that Josquin can or should be any sane person’s “number one favorite composer of all time.”
I feel a responsibility to point out, though it pains me to say it, that he is quite wrong, and that Byrd is a far superior composer. This objective fact, which has nothing to do whatsoever with taste or opinion, would be clear to Mr. Tucker if he were not constantly polluting his ears with “pop, jazz, classical, dance, techno, you name it.” (Indeed, I shan’t be naming the rude and vulgar genres left out of this enumeration, as I consider that act of discretion to be the only praise-worthy aspect of Mr. Tucker’s ill advised post.)
Josquin and Byrd are excellent. But neither of them quite rises to the level of Monteverdi for versatility of genres and the ability to incorporate instruments into sacred music. Adam, I think both you and Jeffrey have been singing unaccompanied too long.
Todd
Why would I want versatility?
Why would anyone consider Josquin or Byrd the finest composer? Clearly this is a two-horse race between Victoria and Palestrina.
Victoria?!?! Palestrina?!?!
Clearly this is a two-horse race between "you're a communist" and "you're mother wears combat boots."
I hate to do this but I must end this argument once and for all with Josquin's version of Eagles Wings http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNm9tNZePew
*your mother
(See what you made me do?! That typo is you're fault!)
24 voices? That sounds like he's overcompensating for something….
Josquin can do that with TWO VOICES ! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLBG9-aQTE0
Josquin stood out above the rest after four semesters of music history. Sorry Wood, I'm with Tucker on this one. : )
Yea. His music is versatile – pieces with enough sheer beauty to accompany a bride down the aisle (Ave Maria…Virgo Serena) or with enough simplicity for an amateur rural parish to accomplish (Ave Verum Corpus).
What convinced me Josquin was tops was his freakish Agnus Dei in the L'homme Armee Mass (Sexti Toni)
All 3 sections are gems in their own right, but the third part is just the height of sublimity:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yEZwpANUO0
This is probably the most important discussion to ever take place on Chant Cafe.
In the spirit of this dialogue, you may all enjoy listening to a radio drama on Byrd written by Mark Lawson titled Suspicion for 10 Voices-BBC Radio 4. It deals with an interrogation of Byrd by Sir Francis Walsingham.
Ah yes–Byrd's Ave Verum Corpus. I prefer his arrangement to Mozart's.
Each composer mentioned by the those posting their views reached levels of beauty and profundity that are still marvels of composition. It is impossible for me to rank them. They deserve places of honor in every parish church. That is crusade worthy of our efforts!