Spirits of England & France 4: Missa Caput

The fact that the anonymous Missa Caput is found in seven different manuscripts is testimony enough to its importance. But this 15th-century work also inspired many composers to write their own masses, using this one as a model. It's easy to hear why this tuneful and rhythmically striking work was so popular, but it also was acclaimed for its structural refinement and its skillful and unique use of four voices. In this performance, the sections of the mass are interspersed with parts of a song that tells the story of how the famous Salve Regina antiphon came to be written. The disc concludes with six 15th-century carols–three of which are performed by solo lute, and a beautiful Agnus Dei found in the Old Hall Manuscript. –David Vernier