In the summer of 2009 Harry van der Kamp and his Gesualdo Consort Amsterdam finished their epic journey through the complete vocal oeuvre of Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck. All in all, a total of 17 CDs were recorded, giving rise to the publication by Glossa of “Het Sweelinck Monument”, a collection of six limited-edition CD-books, with texts in Dutch and distributed solely in the Netherlands. This is music of the highest quality, whose circulation shouldn’t be limited, however, to Sweelinck’s home country. For that reason, following the international release of The Secular Vocal Works in 2009, and before publishing at the end of this year a grand box set containing the 150 Psalms, Glossa are now presenting this 2-CD set of the five-part motets.

Brought together in 1619, the collection Cantiones Sacrae quinque vocum was published in Catholic Antwerp by Petrus Phalesius, the same publisher who 25 years previously had issued the Chansons by the same composer. These are motets which present a mastery of counterpoint and an uncommon sense of melodic and harmonic refinement. An expertly-knowledgeable article from specialist Pieter Dirksen and a cover design which portrays the Oude Kerk in Amsterdam, where Sweelinck was organist for a large part of his life and where he is buried, complete this stimulating release.