Two early Masses by Cristóbal de Morales launch an ambitious new series. The dedicated advocacy of De Profundis is sure to guarantee new standards in the music of this complex, enigmatic figure.

In 1517, and therefore more or less contemporary with our cover portrait, an Italian diplomat described the future Holy Roman Emperor Charles V as having a 'long, cadaverous face and a lopsided mouth (which drops open when he is not on his guard) with a dropping lower lip'. This was the so-called 'Habsburg jaw'. The probable result of generations of inbreeding, many members of the Habsburg dynasty displayed the same physical trait of a protruding bottom jaw—mandibular prognathism—which not even the most flattering of portraits could conceal. Nevertheless, and despite appearances, the Habsburgs were acutely aware of the political as well as the symbolic value of art, and since the reign of Charles V they reinforced their image and status across publications, public architecture, coins and medals and—especially—works of art. There are many extant portraits of Charles by some of the greatest artists of the day, including no fewer than two by Titian: this is a theme which may well be explored in future releases of this series.

Charles V was known to have loved the song Mille regretz which opens the album, and it is likely that the Missa Mille regretz by Morales (a direct contemporary of Charles) was written in his honour. If, for the modern listener, the name of Cristóbal de Morales is probably less well known in the history of Renaissance music than those of the great composers he succeeded (Josquin) and preceded (Palestrina and Lassus), this does not betoken a lesser talent, and the planned series of recordings by De Profundis should do much to consolidate the reputation of this complex and enigmatic figure.