Tonight Scott Fikse put the finishing touches on Early Music Hawaii’s long-delayed Josquin Des Prez’ “A 500th Anniversary Celebration” video which is now live through April 8, 2022. If you remember, we were all set to perform this music last September when the delta and then the omicron variants of coronavirus hit suddenly and all singing was off, the equivalent of saliva in your face!

One of the greatest composers of the Renaissance, Josquin Desprez, died on August 27, 1521. The full-length live performance by ten of Hawaii’s finest renaissance singers planned in his honor for live streaming last September could not be presented due to the sudden restrictions imposed at short notice. Singing is known to be a significant spreader of the virus.

More recently, we have been able to record highlights of the program, including motets, French chansons and the Missa Pange Lingua, said to have inspired his admirer Martin Luther, in whose Honolulu sanctuary we perform. Josquin’s luminous Ave Maria is matched with his friend Ludwig Senfl’s later tribute, developing that most famous motet into a powerful six-voice masterwork in its own right.

The video is virtual and shorter than the program originally planned for last September, when severe COVID restrictions were imposed, and focuses on highlights of his motets, chansons and part of the Missa Pange Lingua.

Here’s the program:
Motet: Dominus regnavit (Josquin)                                 

Chansons: Mille regrets (Josquin)                                                        
Sarah Connelly, mezzo-soprano                                       

Petite camusette                                                          
Katherine Crosier, organ                                        

Adieu mes amours                                                                                  
Keane Ishii, baritone

Missa: Pange Lingua: Kyrie, Gloria (Josquin)                                                                    

Musae Jovis (Nicolas Gombert c.1495-1556)                                                          
Katherine Crosier, organ

Motet: Ave Maria (Josquin)                                             
Motet: Ave Maria (Ludwig Senfl c.1486- 1543)

The video will only be “live” for one week, from April 1-8, 2022. It’s being presented completely without charge—we’re relying on donations to help pay for it, which if you like it, you can go to the Early Music Hawaii website to donate. You’ll also find the program notes here, and the texts and translations here.

A lot of people were involved in the production of this video. The singers included Georgine Stark, Erica Glenn, Naomi Barrett, soprano; Sarah Connelly, Melissa Glenn, Jeannette Johnson, alto; Tomás Ramos, Nicholas Lee, Ian Capps, tenor; and Scott Fikse, Keane Ishii (bass). As you can see, I play a couple of solo organ pieces and also accompany a few vocal solos.

I apologize in advance that my posture looks poor while sitting at the organ, but it’s all in an effort to see the music better. Fortunately I am able to read the music without reading glasses, but the position of the music rack is a bit low for me to see clearly. I guess I must be grateful that I can still see the music after nearly 11 years of monthly eye injections for macular degeneration!

Much credit for the quality and creativity of the video production goes to Scott Fikse, who combined interesting tidbits about Josquin with images of Renaissance art as well as European cathedrals.

Please watch the video before April 8th!