Gombert: Mille regretz - Stile antico

Nicolas Gombert (c.1500 - c.1557): Mille regretz

Stile antico
Live recording

This 6 voice chanson is Gombert's arrangement of Josquin's famous 4 voice "Mille regretz". Gombert uses the melodic material of Josquin's chanson to create something different. Josquin's chanson is much simpler - though not less perfect - it features hardly any imitation and text repeats, whereas Gombert's arrangement (which is 50% longer than Josquin's original 59 vs. 40 measures) uses both imitations and text repeats.

Josquin's chanson is said to be a favourite of the Emperor Charles V - though I couldn't find the original source for this allegation - and Gombert was a member of Charles V's choir. So he may have composed it for the emperor who - just like other people who knew Josquin's chanson - must have appreciated Gombert's arrangement which is recognisably built on Josquin's material, yet so different.

[nivyehuda]

Gorgeous variation on the four-voice chanson by Josquin

[williamwhite]

I'm glad they didn't make that last third a picardy, the text is far too sad for nonsense of that sort.

[floreSplash]

Amazing, I cannot stop listen to it.. but the lyrics are wrong written!