ASPICE DOMINE - Cappella Pratensis - Tim Braithwaite

This special program takes you to the Mexico of the early 16th century, where music became a powerful instrument in a world of conquest, faith, and cultural exchange. Central is Pieter van der Moere, better known as Pedro de Gante of Peter of Gent, who arrived in the newly conquered Mexico City in 1523. As a teacher and missionary, he used music to build bridges between cultures, with remarkable success: his students sang polyphony of such a level that it was, according to him, “invisibly incredible”. This program explores the musical landscape that may have sounded in that context. The highlight is the impressive Missa Aspice Domine van Cristóbal de Morales, a parody mass based on the motet of the same name by Nicolas Gombert. In addition, intabulations of polyphonic works from Latin American manuscripts will be heard. Together, they shed a fascinating light on the role of music as a spiritual, educational, and political tool in colonial Mexico.