Edition of a Second Set of Motets by Diogo Dias Melgaz

This is the second number of the Polyphonia series, edited by Movimento Patrimonial pela Música Portuguesa, comprising three more motets by Portuguese composer Diogo Dias Melgaz (1638-1700). Melgaz was mestre de capela at Évora Cathedral in the last decades of the 17th century. This edition comprises the motets Memento homo, Ille homo qui dicitur Jesus and In jejunio et fletu, all for four voices (SATB).

Like in the previous number of Melgaz’s works, these three motets are also destined to several occasions during Lent time: the first one is for Ash Wednesday (in Feria quarta cinerum), the second is for the feria quarta post Dominica 4ª Quadragesimae and the third is for feria quarta post Dominica 5ª Quadragesimae. Here are (as is the case of Memento homo) probably some of Melgaz’s most impressive music. The expressive resources he uses, for instance in Memento homo, although mostly Baroque than in the tradional stile antico, are quite striking. Fortunately all these works have already been recorded in CD. One can also find good recordings on YouTube. These motets are edited in the n.º 10 of the Polyphonia series, published by edições mpmp (available HERE).