Valentin Molitor: Motets (1683)

Basler Madrigalisten, Musica Fiorita, Daniela Dolci – organ & direction

Valentin Molitor (1637-1713) Music of the Benedictine - Motets (1683)

The "career" of Father Valentin Molitor from the Benedictine Abbey of St. Gallen corresponds to that which one expects of an friar in the 17th century: he made his monastic vows at the age of 19 and, from that time onward, placed all his further activities at the service of his order – first as a simple monk, then as an organist – with a few years in between "on loan" at the Abbey of Kempten in the Allgäu – and finally as First Cantor of St. Gallen. In opposition to the musically conservative currents in the Abbey of St. Gallen, Molitor was committed to the modern, Italian style with solo voices and obbligato instruments, although the use of instruments was only permitted for special festivities there and was even completely banned later on. Thus Molitor's collection of motets entitled Epinicion Marianum, recorded here for the first time, is a valuable example of a completely unusual facet of the Benedictine musical repertoire as it was cultivated in St. Gallen for just a brief period during the second half of the 17th century. The Swiss harpsichordist Daniela Dolci, who has a marked predilection for interesting repertoire off the well-beaten path, has taken on the motet collection of Valentin Molitor with her ensemble Musica Fiorita, presenting us with a true gem of Baroque church music from the Abbey of St. Gallen. The Basle Madrigalists, one of the leading Swiss vocal ensembles, perform the vocal parts on this recording.

Price: $27.98

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