CAPPELLA PRATENSIS - Netherlands

Cappella Pratensis specializes in the music of Josquin Desprez (= Josqinus Pratensis) and other polyphonic composers of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. The ensemble performs its own programs and original interpretations, which are based on academic research. As was customary in the renaissance, the singers of Cappella Pratensis usually stand around a central music stand, singing from facsimiles of original choir books. This creates a unique perspective on the repertoire. The ensemble, founded in 1987, is now under the artistic direction of singer and conductor Stratton Bull.

Travel back to late-medieval Brabant with Feast of the Swan! Founded in 1317, the Brotherhood of Our Lady in 's-Hertogenbosch flourished in the 15th century, counting the painter Hieronymus Bosch among its members. Their renowned choir at St John’s Cathedral performed exquisite polyphony for services and feast days.

Once a year, the "Swan Brothers" hosted the Feast of the Swan—a grand banquet featuring rare delicacies like swan and a rich blend of sacred and secular music. This programme recreates the atmosphere of that historic celebration, combining movements from masses and motets with lively love songs. One fragmentary song has been reimagined with a witty new text by poet Erik Alink, exploring an 'unusual' affection for a swan.

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With six singers from Cappella Pratensis, four instrumentalists from Sollazzo Ensemble, and a master of ceremonies, the evening offers a window into the cultural splendour and musical brilliance of the era.