Music for Filips II and Elisabeth van Valois

La Grande Chapelle

Fri 30/04/2027 - 20:30

Philip II had one of the finest musical ensembles in 16^th-century Europe. Until 1548, he maintained the chapel of the Castilian royal family, which mainly attracted musicians from within the kingdom.

Following the abdication of Emperor Charles V in 1556, the courts of father and son merged: Emperor Charles’s Capilla Flamenca, comprising almost exclusively musicians and composers from the Low Countries, was incorporated into Philip’s court. The result was an institution of exceptional calibre, in which musicians, repertoires and aesthetic sensibilities from diverse backgrounds coexisted. Philip’s third wife, Elisabeth of Valois, also had a great love of the arts and was passionate about dance and music.

La Grande Chapelle recreates the soundscape of the Spanish court in its twofold dimension: that of the royal chapel, with its outstanding Franco-Flemish liturgical repertoire, and that of the queen’s court, where Spanish, French and Italian works were performed. This dual perspective allows listeners to experience, in a single musical journey, both the solemn ceremony of the chapel and the refined intimacy of the private quarters at the court of Philip II and Elisabeth of Valois.

Featuring music by Pierre de Manchicourt, Nicolas Payen, Antonio de Cabezón, Juan García de Basurto and others

Bio

Spanish vocal-instrumental ensemble La Grande Chapelle was founded in 2005 by Albert Recasens with the aim of performing forgotten music from Spain’s musical heritage and polyphonic works from the 16^th to the 18^th centuries. Through its own independent record label, Lauda, the ensemble releases CDs featuring music from Spain’s Golden Age, as well as masterpieces from the Spanish Renaissance and Baroque periods.

------------------------------

>>> This concert is part of Voices of Passion 2027.

During this festival edition, discover how Franco-Flemish composers of the 16th century travelled along international routes, finding fertile ground wherever they went. Along with them, music—preserved in manuscript and print—resounded in numerous urban centres, at princely courts, and in chapels, churches, and cathedrals.

Leuven and polyphony have been closely intertwined for centuries. Together with the Alamire Foundation, 30CC highlights this tradition, as well as current scholarship and performance practice, during the Passion of the Voices festival.