Herald AV Publications

HAVPCD195 – Gregorian Chant: Midnight Mass for Queen Mary Tudor John Sheppard: Missa Cantate

Until the recent discovery of his will, the biographical mist hanging over John Sheppard (c.1515-59) was virtually impenetrable. We still know nothing of his early years but at least we know a good deal about his later professional life. In 1541 he became informator choristarum at Magdalen College, Oxford, a post he held until around 1547. At about this time Sheppard moved to London, where his name appears in Chapel Royal lists until his death in January 1559.

HAVPCD186 – Carl Rütti: Verena, Die Quelle An oratorio with poems, paintings, and music

In 1993 the Swiss artist Maria Hafner painted a cycle called Verena, die Quelle (Verena, the Source); it was a kind of interpretation in pictures of the legend of Verena [a 4th-century holy woman, much revered in Switzerland]. Then she decided to enlarge her work about the impressive life of this fascinating woman by combining the three arts of poetry, painting, and music. The famous Swiss poet Silja Walter (sister Maria Hewdwig from the monastery of Fahr) wrote poems to the paintings. Finally the music was written as a result of the text and pictures.