Adrian Willaert (?1490-1562)
Qual dolcezza giamai
Amor mi fa morire
Signora dolce io te vorrei parlare
Qual più diversa e nova cosa
Ave Maria
Videns dominus
Ecce dominus veniet
Missa Laudate Deum

Dionysos Now!

Franz Vitzthum, contreténor
Bernd Oliver Fröhlich, ténor
Jan Petryka, ténor
Tim Scott Whiteley, basse
Tore Tom Denys, ténor, direction

The album Adriano 6 by Dionysos Now! pays tribute to Adriaen Willaert (1490–1562). The centerpiece of this recording is the Missa Laudate Deum, a so-called parody mass based on Johannes Mouton’s motet of the same name. This remarkable mass showcases Willaert’s masterful command of polyphony and serves as an homage to his mentor. The Missa Laudate Deum comes from the rare Liber quinque missarum (1536), a collection of five masses where Willaert demonstrates his refined continuation of the Parisian School. By integrating Mouton’s hymn of praise with his own innovations, Willaert created a masterpiece that remains a milestone in the history of mass composition. In addition to the mass, the album features a selection of Willaert’s madrigals and motets. Works like Qual dolcezza gamai and Amor mi fa morire reveal his ability to merge expressive text with intricate music. Inspired by poets such as Dragonetto Bonifacio, these dramatic madrigals highlight Willaert’s sensitivity to text interpretation and his contribution to new musical forms. Motets like Videns Dominus and Ecce Dominus veniet stand out for their profound emotion and technical brilliance.