Sumptuous Beauty Choral music by Pierre de Manchicourt - heard by GERALD FENECH 'David Shuler and his choristers deliver performances of outstanding clarity and precision ...'

Born around 1510 in Bethune in the French-speaking part of Flanders, Pierre de Manchicourt was educated and trained as a chorister at Arras Cathedral, and by 1539 was director of the Tours at Tournai Cathedral, following which, in 1556, Bishop de Granvelle, Secretary of State to both Charles V and Philip II, made de Machincourt a canon at Arras. Throughout his eventful career, the composer found himself serving, almost uninterruptedly, these two Spanish Emperors, but despite finding royal favour, his music was superceded by other composers whose ideas were more forward-looking. Indeed, names such as Guerrero, Rogier and Victoria made Manchicourt's music sound rather old-fashioned, and by 1600, thirty-six years after his death, his life's work was largely forgotten...

MSR CLASSICS

NEW YORK

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

CHORAL MUSIC

EARLY MUSIC