Tonrroutt, Thauranth, Tauront, Taurath, Torenth... few composers have had their names mangled by scribes so badly as the protagonist of this recording. The identity of the composer behind these variants has long remained shrouded in mystery. It is known that a certain Johannes Tourout was cantor in the chapel of Emperor Frederick III of Habsburg. The composer must have been very popular in Central Europe: a large number of his works can be found in important manuscripts from that region. Given the stupendous craftsmanship evident in his compositions, it is surprising that modern musicians have not paid greater attention to them.
Cappella Mariana and its artistic director Vojtěch Semerád now seek to fill the gap with this portrait album. This selection aims to display the wide stylistic range of 15th-century polyphony, with a mass, Latin motets, and secular chansons set to texts in the vernacular. With a mass, motets and French secular songs, they aim to display the wide stylistic range of 15th century polyphony. © Passacaille