De Profundis

Exciting times! Just received the first edit of Morales CD4 - Missa Ave Maria, Missa Si bona suscepimus and the Magnificat tertii toni. Now to listen hard and get it perfect.

Otd 1549 Pope Paul III died. Morales dedicated his 2nd Book of Masses to him & boasted the Pope had personally appointed him to the Papal Choir.
In honour of the old guy here's Morales' beautiful funeral motet Circumdederunt me, opening track of our Morales Requiem album.
hyperion.lnk.to/cda68467_01

A 5-star review from Musica magazine (Italy). "Choice of the Month"
"A performance of the highest calibre: the choir is a compact, mellow, and homogeneous ensemble. More engaging than Savall's celebrated 1992 album. Dougan's conducting is meditative and mystical. An album I highly recommend."

O quam gloriosum Tomás Luis de Victoria, David Hill, Westminster Cathedral Choir · Victoria Masses: Ave maris stella & O quam gloriosum · Song · 1986

After Halloween, yesterday was the feast of All Saints for which Tomás Luis de Victoria wrote his famous motet O quam gloriosum.
Here's a recording of it by Westminster Cathedral Choir (Hyperion stable-mates) from their award-winning 1985 album. Yay, Spain!

#Nowspinning. An album that changed my life and led to the formation of De Profundis. This was Palestrina recorded in the *Sistine Chapel* and in its liturgical context by a historically-informed choir, part of the amazing Octave of the Nativity series on BBC R3. Ear-opening and mind-exanding!

I Fagiolini Monteverdi 1610 Vespers For I Fagiolini's 40th anniversary in 2026, we’re going to record Monteverdi's 1610 Vespers. This is a journey that has taken me 50 years, and now, after a lot of performances, I think I may finally…

Next week our very good friends at I Fagiolini will be recording Monteverdi's 1610 Vespers. Frankly, this is likely to be *the* Vespers recording of this generation.
They've got a crowd-funding page going, and they're getting close to their target.
Can you help?
fundrazr.com/IFagioliniMo...

It was on this day in 1602 that Vivanco was appointed maestro at Salamanca Cathedral, a post he held until his death 20 years later. Over the next few years he published large collections of his masses, Magnificats and motets, and was appointed Professor of Music at Salamanca University.

Morales: Requiem a 5 & Officium defunctorum <p>Cristóbal de Morales’s five-voice <i>Missa pro defunctis</i> is steeped in a grandeur and solemnity which resonate powerfully with the listener, especially in a large-scale account such as that…

Gramophone reviews our new Morales Requiem disc:
"Gorgeously sung. Eamonn Dougan conducts with his customary tactful musicianship" 😊

On this day in 1534, Alessandro Farnese was elected Pope, taking the name Paul III. Of course, the most significant thing he did (apart from instituting the Council of Trent, recognizing the Jesuit order, and other trifles) was appointing Cristóbal de Morales to the Papal Choir. Yay!

Rather nice to be featured in The Times cryptic. (2,9)

This Sunday is Spain's National Day, something that has resonance for us for some reason or other...

Now spinning: a much-loved recording by the late Stephen Cleobury and his King's forces. There's a natural fit between this Anglican choir and Byrd's Anglican masterpiece. A beautiful and quietly satisfying album.

"Thank you for the chance to work with DP. As well as the sound, what stood out was the professionalism and enthusiasm of the choir. It was a very challenging programme, and the singers rose to everything thrown at them. It was great to have achieved such excellence in performance." (Stephen Rice)

Concert day at Little St Mary’s.
See you later?

The joyful conclusion of Clemens non Papa's Christmas motet 'O magnum mysterium' with echoing shouts of "Nowell, Nowell!" 'A Belgian Christmas' - rehearsal, Sept 2025 - Clemens non Papa: O magnum mysterium

Here's the end of Clemens non Papa's setting of O magnum mysterium. It'll be a joyful end to our concert tomorrow - a varied programme of Flemish music for the Feast of the Nativity. Do come!
Sat 27th, 7:30pm, Little St Mary's. Tix bit.ly/DPBelgianXmas & on the door.

A clip from the rehearsal of Mouton's motet 'Nesciens mater', conducted by Stephen Rice, for our Sept 2025 concert 'A Belgian Christmas'. 'A Belgian Christmas' - rehearsal, Sept 2025 - Mouton: Nesciens mater

Mouton's famous Nesciens mater. Something quiet, consoling, and beautiful. A lullaby.
It features in our concert this Saturday in Cambridge - Flemish music for the Feast of the Nativity.
If this sounds attractive then do please join us! Tickets at bit.ly/DPBelgianXmas

A Belgian Christmas Festive music by Clemens non Papa, Gombert, Josquin, Brumel, and de Monte

Concert's getting close - just 3 days away!
Can we tempt you? Will we see you there?
Tickets and details from bit.ly/DPBelgianXmas

A quick Q&A with Stephen Rice, director of our autumn 2025 concert 'A Belgian Christmas'. Music by Clemens non Papa, Gombert, Brumel, Josquin, Mouton, and de Monte Concert date: Sat 27th… 'Belgian Christmas' - September 2025 - interview with conductor Stephen Rice

A quick Q&A w Stephen Rice who is directing our concert of Flemish Xmas music on Saturday - a really varied programme from the quietly beautiful (Mouton's Nesciens mater) to the joyful & virtuosic (Brumel's Nato canunt omnia) and everything inbetween!
Tix - bit.ly/DPBelgianXmas

CONCERT THIS SATURDAY!
Flemish music for the Feast of the Nativity.
A fabulous (& rarely-performed) piece by Josquin, a stunningvirtuoso motet by Brumel, & gorgeousness aplenty from Clemens, Gombert, Mouton, and the gang. All directed by star conductor Stephen Rice!
Tickets from bit.ly/DPBelgianXmas

Rehearsing is *hard work*, so having Fitzbillies next door comes in handy.

Back in the old office to rehearse a programme of gorgeous Flemish music for (whisper it…!) Christmas. Gig next Saturday. Tix from bit.ly/DPBelgianXmas. Go on, give yourself an early present!

What, not even a 'Nowell'?

Circumdederunt me Cristobal de Morales, De Profundis, Eamonn Dougan · Morales: Circumdederunt me · Song · 2025

Morales's motet Circumderunt me (the opening track from our new album) has had very nearly 10,000 streams on Spotify. That's either lots of people who like it, or just possibly one person who really *really* likes it.

(Just under) 2 weeks to go until our highly-unseasonal concert of Flemish music for Xmas & the Festive Season, directed by Stephen Rice. There'll be no carols or community singing, just wall to wall Flemish loveliness from Clemens non Papa, Gombert, Josquin, Mouton, and others.
bit.ly/DPBelgianXmas

A Belgian Christmas Eventbrite - De Profundis, conducted by Stephen Rice presents A Belgian Christmas - Saturday, September 27, 2025 at Little Saint Mary's Parish Church, Cambridge, Cambridge, England. Find event and…

De Profundis concert approaching!
On Sat 27th we're performing a concert of Renaissance Flemish music for Xmas. (We know it's not Xmas yet, but otherwise we never get to do this stuff!) Music by Clemens, Gombert, Josquin, Brumel, Mouton, and de Monte. Info & tix: bit.ly/DPBelgianXmas
See you there!

Bernardino de Ribera, David Skinner, De Profundis - Gloriosae virginis Mariae Listen to Gloriosae virginis Mariae by Bernardino de Ribera, David Skinner, De Profundis.

Doh! With all the New Album fuss, I quite forgot to post yesterday. A shame because yesterday was the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the feast for which Ribera wrote his great motet Gloriosae virginis Mariae.
Ahh, never mind. Let's hear it anyway!

What a great start to the weekend!
Last night we found out that our Requiem disc has entered the UK Specialist Classical Chart at number 5, and today Presto Classical listed the disc as one of their four Presto Team Choices: "a wonderful recording which could well be their best yet."
Woo-hoo!

Morales: Requiem a 5 & Officium defunctorum | Hyperion Streaming Cristóbal de Morales’s five-voice Missa pro defunctis is steeped in a grandeur and solemnity which resonate powerfully with the listener, especially in a large-scale account such as that recorded…

Our new album is available to stream or buy from the dedicated Hyperion streaming site.
www.hyperion-streaming.co.uk/release/cda6...
Or, if you prefer...
www.amazon.co.uk/Morales-Requ...
www.prestomusic.com/classical/pr...

Obviously a new CD is exciting news, but we've also got a concert coming up on Sat 27th - Flemish music for Xmas & the Festive Season, conducted by Stephen Rice at Little St Mary's.
Tickets from bit.ly/DPBelgianXmas.
You can come to the concert, say hello, and pick up a copy of the CD!

We're Amazon's most popular Requiem!
(File under: Odd Things To Celebrate)