Cristóbal de Montemayor (or Cristoforo Montemayor) is a rather unknown Spanish Renaissance composer. The only source for his works is the Liber primus cum octo et sex et quinque et quatuor vocibus (Napoli, 1593), a collection with psalms for double choir, hymns, motets and a couple of Masses. Though the double choir psalms and hymns are quite uninteresting, the works that stand out are the motets for four, five and six voices.
We are publishing the motets for four, five and six voices by Montemayor in Ars Subtilior Editions. The copy of the Liber primus (I-RN Mss musicali 135) has a lot of errors (text, accidentals, values...) that have been corrected for our editions.
Virgo prudentissima is an outstanding motet for five voices (SSATB). It alternates parts with vibrant counterpoint with phrases of expressive homophony (like in pulchra ut luna).
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