A hint of musical intrigue surrounds the greatest polyphonic composer between Josquin and Palestrina. Jacquet of Mantua was born in Vitré in Brittany, made his way to Ferrara and eventually to Mantua where he enjoyed the patronage Cardinal Ercole Gonzaga who chaired the Council of Trent. Curiously, a list of the informatores Choristarum (directors of music) at Magdalen College, Oxford notes a “Master Jacquet” holding the post from 1536-39. While several composers had similar names, could this be the famous Mantuan Jacquet? David Skinner in his interesting annotation outlines some persuasive arguments, but ultimately, we shall never know.

What we do know, with the help of this finely sung and well curated recording, is that Jacquet of Mantua was a superbly accomplished and inventive composer. Consider the noble verses of Ave maris stella that open the program, the exquisite Virgo prundentissima for upper voices or the grand eight-part Sancta Trinitas that brings the recital to a close. There is also the five-part Aspice Domine that so impressed Palestrina...