The Ear of the Huguenots

The Ear of the Huguenots: Music from the Time of the “St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre”

2017 the Huelgas Ensemble focusses on the great topic of the  Reformation, in its anniversary year. 500 years ago the core values of  Europe were shaken by profound changes. Changes that were not just of a  religious nature but also political and cultural. Old ideals were both  questioned and fiercely defended.
In 16th century France  the protestant milieu was intensely oppressed. The grisly culmination of  this oppression came on the night of the 23rd/24th August 1572 with the St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre, during which  thousands of Huguenots were killed in Paris. This extreme act of  persecution sent shock waves through the whole of France. Nevertheless,  or indeed therefore, the Huguenots developed their very own musical  culture.

The programme consists of three parts:
1. Psalm music  of the Huguenots for three to eight voices: Psalms by Claude Goudimel  (c. 1515 - 1572), Jacques Mauduit (1557 - 1627) and Claude Le Jeune (c.  1530 - 1600).
2. The “Victors’ Response” (with the celebration of a  mass!) of Pope Gregory XIII on receiving news of the St Bartholomew’s  Day Massacre: Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525 - 1594): Agnus Dei  from the Missa “Ut re mi fa sol la” (for 6 & 7 voices), together  with two pieces from the Roman Lauda repertoire.
3. Secular and  sacred music from the Huguenot circle: works by Paschal de l'Estocart  (1539 - after 1587),  Jean Servin (c. 1530 - 1596), Guillaume Costeley  (c. 1530 - 1606) and Claude Le Jeune.