As we continue our journey through the sacred repertoire of Catholic composers of vocal polyphony in the 15th Century, we come to Alexander Agricola (c. 1445 -1506), a member of the Burgundian School. He worked at the courts of several of the most important men of his age: Duke Galeazzo Maria Sforza of Milan, from 1471 to 1474; Lorendo de’Medici, 1474 – c. 1476. He was a singer at Cambrai in 1476, and probably was known to Guillaume du Fay, whose repertoire we have previously sampled.

From 1476 to 1491 it is not clear where he was precisely, but he was associated with the French Royal Court, where he made his fame as one of the great composers of his age.

In 1500, he took a position with Philip the Handsome, Duke of Burgundy and King of Castile, in whose service he died of the plague, at Valladolid, in 1506.

In today’s piece, his Ave maris stella, we hear a polyphonic vocal with lute accompaniment, in a Spanish style.

Each day at 5 P.M. Rome time, FromRome.Info features a selection of Sacred Music to edify our readers in the treasures and beautify of Catholic Tradition, so they can better grasp the abnormality of the age of the aggiornamento and how profoundly evil it has been in depriving three generations of Catholics of beauty and holiness.