This is the start of a six-voice motet composed by Nicolas Gombert as an epitaph on the death of Josquin Desprez. Gombert’s invocation of the divine muses, the sources of artistic inspiration in poetry and music of antiquity, recalls the intent of early baroque composers to return to the ideals of ancient theatre. Composers started paying particular attention to audibility and expressivity of the word. A return to their music in the twenty-first century means, following the muses, to combine reflexion and imagination in all musical activity.

The combination of these qualities is the aim of the young early music soloist ensemble, Musae Jovis, in their explorations of known and unknown repertoire of the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. Musae Jovis was brought together in 2015 by and around tenor Pieter De Moor and comprises 2 violins, viola da gamba, theorbo and organ or harpsichord. Having met between the highly recognised conservatoires of Belgium, the diverse talents and versatility of the members promise an ever interesting energy.

In 2016 they were selected by the International Young Artist’s Presentation (IYAP) as part of the festival Laus Polyphoniae Antwerp.
There first CD, Sanctum Desiderium, will be released in oktober 2016.

Helena Chudzik – violin
Ortwin Lowyck – violin
Justin Glaie – theorbo
Zeljko Manic – harpsichord, organ
Lies Wyers – viola da gamba
Pieter De Moor – tenor, artistic leader