Obrecht, Laudes Christo Redemptori

We know that Jacob Obrecht was born in the Netherlands on St. Cecelia’s Day, November 22, but there is no record of the year. Historians offer dates ranging from 1450 to 1458. The earliest date of 1450 is derived from the fact that Obrecht became a priest and said his first mass in 1480. That event traditionally occurred after the priest’s 30th birthday.

Although there is evidence that Obrecht lacked diligence in his routine duties, music theorist Johannes Tinctoris included him in a 1475 list of renowned composers that included Dunstaple, Dufay, Ockeghem, and Busnois. To be placed in such high company at the age of 25 is a significant achievement. It would be even more remarkable had he been born as late as 1457-1458.

Laudes Christo is a four-voice sacred motet with a Latin text. Each of the four voices sings similar melodic material and has equal importance. The voices combine in highly complex imitative counterpoint. Hearing all the points of imitation is neither easy nor necessary. You really need to study the score to see how it all works. But it relatively easy at the beginning to hear each voice enter with the same melody at a different pitch. Once all four voices have entered, the texture becomes rather dense. The phrases in one voice overlap those of another, creating a continuous weave. As the work progresses, you may still be able to discern certain phrases and motives being echoed in other voices.

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