In Celebration of the Human Voice - The Essential Musical Instrument

Early Music Choral Recordings

Much of the earliest music was composed for the unaccompanied voice reaching a peak during the Renaissance when there was flowering of talented European composers. Many of these composers were true musical geniuses and whose work is still vibrant and relevant today. We offer here a far ranging collection of these works performed by the top vocal ensembles from both Europe and the US.

Displaying 51-100 of 120 items.

Mediaeval Baebes : Undrentide

Review: The Mediaeval Baebes are 12 stunning young women who share with us their love of 11th to 16th century folk and sacred music (and the instruments and costumes of that period) on "Undrentide," their 4th excellent CD. Particularly noteworthy are the full-color, extensive liner notes, which are as beautifully designed and graphically exciting as any we've seen. 19 songs, some of which are mediaeval words put to music by Musical Director Katharine Blake. Some of our favorites: the title tune, "Quon vey la louzeta," the 15th century English "Besse Bunting," "Summerisle" (The Maypole Song), "Secreit Nicht," the raucous "Omnes gentes plaudite" (The Drinking Song), the poignant "Lanquan Li Jorn," "Dance of the Trolls" (instrumental) and the solemn "Palastinalied." Most songs are lightly accompanied. Another Baebes winner!

Songlist: Undrentide, Isabella, Quan vey la lauzeta, Besse Bunting, E volentieri, Cantiga, Summerisle (The Maypole Song), Averil, Secreit Nicht, Now welcom somer, Veni coronaberis, Omnes gentes plaudite (The Drinking Song), Lanquan li jorn, At a Springe-wel, Dance of the Trolls, Maiden in the mor lay, E volentieri (reprise), Palatinalied

Netherlands Chamber Choir : Mirabile Mysterium

Review: Specialist in medieval and Renaissance polyphony Paul Von Nevel guest conducts the Nederlands Kamerkoor in 14 classical sacred works of Christmas music, ranging from Jacobus Gallus' 16th century title tune and Geronimo Luca's 17th century "Este Nino que es sol del aurora" to Bertram Luard-Selby's 19th century "A Voice from Ramah" and Harold Darke's 20th Century "In The Bleak Mid-Winter." Some accompaniment from period recorder, renaissance violin, viola da gamba, shawm and dulciam. Just beautiful!

Songlist: Mirabile mysterium, Unidos tres reyes, Vincti presepio / Stelle presagio, Este Nino que es sol del aurora, Drei Kon'ge wandern aus Morgenland, Senores el qu'es nascido, Vox in Rama, Hodie puer nascitur, Ab Oriente, In the bleak mid-winter, A Penas nace este Nino, A Voice from Ramah, Balaam de quo vaticinans, Quae stella sole pulchrior

New York Polyphony : I Sing the Birth

Review: New York Polyphony is rapidly gaining a reputation as one of the finest new classical vocal ensembles. Fusing elegant vocalism with expert ensemble singing, its four male voices consistently deliver dynamic performances of music spanning nearly a millennium in a range of styles, combining historically-informed interpretive style with their own unique artistry. From the simplicity of plainchant to the dense chromaticism of contemporary works, the New York Polyphony sound is unified, energized and distinctive. The musical landscape traversed on this disc of music for the Advent and Christmas season is broad, from 12th century conductus to a 21st century carol, though the musical center is firmly polyphonic and rooted in the late Medieval world. The group is joined by a women's trio in several works written for more than four parts. The sound is clean and present, with appropriate resonance for this material. For the listener looking for a collection of contemplative Christmas music that steers clear of the most obvious selections and introduces intriguing new repertoire, as well as for the fan of early music vocal ensembles, this album has much to offer.

Songlist: Veni Redemptor gentium, Hodie Christus natus est, Hodie Christus natus est, Puer natus est nobis, Lully, lulla, thou little tiny child, Beata viscera, Ave Maria Mater Dei, Alma Redemptoris mater, The darkest midnight in December, The Fader of Heven, Vox in Rama, Vox in Rama, Vox in Rama, Away in a manger, Ave Maria, Coventry Carol, Ave Maria, Lullay, lullow, I saw a swete semly syght, Mervele noght, Josep, Nowell: Dieus wous garde, byewsser, Veni Redemptor gentium, O magnum mysterium, Ecce advenit dominator Dominus, Magi veniunt ab oriente, Nunc dimittis, Vox in Rama

Orlando Consort : Alleluia Nativitas

Review: Music & Carols for a Medieval Christmas. The music on this recording goes back to the very origins of musical composition. The centerpiece, Perotin's Viderunt omnes, can also be said to mark the beginning of the concept of musical history, since it is one of the first pieces whose precise details of performance (place, date and context) are known, carefully recorded and preserved for the information of future generations.

Songlist: Novus Annus Hodie, Ut Iam Cessit, Fulget Dies Celebris, Vetus Abit Littera, Procedenti Puero, Mater Dei Salus Rei, In Sompnis Mira, Huic Et Placuit, Viderunt Omnes, Angelus ad Virginem, Flos Regalis, Beata Viscera, Orientis Partibus, Salve Sancta Parens, Virgo Maria, Edi Beo Thu, Super Te Jerusalem, O Nobilis Nativitas, There Is No Rose, St Thomas Honour We, Nowell, Nowell: The Boare's Head

Orlando Consort : Busnois

Review: The music of Antoine Busnois has inspired intense interest in recent times. With this survey of the different genres - sacred and secular - in which Busnois excelled, the Orlando Consort demonstrates the composer's supreme technical mastery, his melodic flair, and his rhythmic vitality. A comprehensive portrait of an early-Renaissance genius.

Songlist: Motet: Gaude caelestis Domina, Aune damme j'ay fait veu, Amours nous traitte honnestement/Je m'en voy, Resjois-toy, terre de France/Rex pacificus, Conditor alme siderum, Missa O Crux lignum, Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Benedictus, Agnus Dei, Ja que li ne s'I attende, Vostre beaute'/Vous marches du bout du pie', Est-il merchy de quoy on puet finer?, Incomprehensibilia/ Praeter rerum ordinem

Orlando Consort : Medieval Christmas

Review: Although Medieval Christmas celebrations primarily consisted of over-eating, flirtation, hunting and drinking, each day began with a mass. Sacred and secular traditions and customs were often intertwined as part of a season of celebration which culminated with the feast of the Epiphany. On this new CD, the Orlando Consort offers an unusual & wide-ranging collection of secular and liturgical music from England, France and the Low Countries. To read the texts of these pieces is to un-knot the various traditions that are otherwise confused by today's pick-and-mix carol concerts. While not strictly chronological, the disc is divided into five sections - Prophecy, New Year's Day, The Carol, Narrative Motets and Noel - which illustrate key themes of the music of this period.

Songlist: Christe redemptor, Alleluia V. Dies sanctificatus, Lux refulget, Annus renascitur, De quan qu'on peut, Tout mon desir, Ce jour de l'an, Ave rex angelorum, Eya, martyr Stephane, Vox in Rama, Lullay, lullow: I saw a swete semely sight, O admirabile commercium, Pastores loquebantur, Noel, noel, noel, Noe, noe, noe, Nato canunt omnia, Quem lohannes, O primus homo corruit, Clangat tuba

Orlando Consort : The Rose, The Lily & the Whortleberry

Review: In celebration of the floral imagery used by many of Europe's greatest composers over a span of 300 years to depict both earthly and heavenly love, the Orlando Consort sings poetic texts ranging from the sacred to the downright suggestive. Includes essays by Sir Roy Strong, Susan Hitch; and a garden design created by Christopher Bradley-Hole. Also included is a handsomely illustrated book full of beautiful medieval paintings and photographs of surviving gardens. Additional notes are contributed by Sir Roy Strong, President of the Garden History Society of England; Susan Hitch, an expert in medieval literature and a BBC Radio 3 presenter; and Christopher Bradley-Hole, one of the world's top garden designers, who contributes a plan for your very own neo-medieval garden.

Songlist: Rose, liz, rondeau, El mois de mai - De se debent - Kyrie, He marotele / En praerie / Aptat, motet, Passerose de beaute, Flos regalis virginalis, Missa Flos Regalis, Quam pulchra es, Soubz les branches / En la rousee / Jolis mois de may, chanson, Royne des flours, Dindirin, dindirin, En la fuente del Rosel, Hortus Conclusus, Aquella Mora Garrida, Quasi cedrus, Changeons propos, Sicut Lilium Inter Spinas, Vidi speciosam, Haec est illa dulcis rosa / Salve, Da le belle contrade d'oriente, I vaghi fiori e l'amorose fronde, Ecce tu pulcher es, Des herbes ai asses, Au ioly bocquet croist la violette, O flos campi

Orlando Consort : The Toledo Summit

Review: An encounter between two powerful dynasties. The Orlando Consort revisits a fascinating meeting between two musical cultures. During his 1502 ceremonial visit to Toledo (Spain), Philip the Fair of Burgundy, and his Royal hosts, Ferdinand and Isabella, vied to display the artistic achievements of their respective realms. Music was central to all the festivities: solemn celebrations, worship, courtly banquets, dances and chivalric entertainments. "Immaculate tuning, rhythmic concision and clear articulation of the text." - BBC Music Magazine

Songlist: Ave rex noster, Gaude virgo, Libera me, Domine, Versa est in luctum, Adoramoste, Senor, Je n'ay dueil, Si dedero, Missa Nunca Fue Pena Mayor: Kyrie, Ora baila tu, Autant en emporte le vent, Justa fue mi perdicion, Andad, pasiones, andad, O desolatorum consolator, Mater patris, Oyan todos mi tormento, Secretz regretz, A la caca, In te, Domine, speravi, Ave sanctissimum, Ave festiva ferculis, Missa L'homme arme: credo

Oxford Camerata : Celestial Harmonies - Gesualdo

Review: Now enjoying cult status since her 're-discovery' 25 years ago, Hildegard von Bingen, the tenth child of an aristocratic family, entered a convent at the age of eight and spent the remainder of her eighty years as a nun as well as a mystic, the latter half as abbess of her own convent. Hildegard's great musico-poetic collection was completed around the year 1150. Symphonia armonie celestium revelationum (Symphony of the Harmony of Heavenly Revelations) is a collection of 77 songs and one music drama. The subjects of these songs are an idiosyncratic collection of individuals and groups - the pieces included on this recording are variously addressed to the Creator, the Redeemer, the Blessed Virgin Mary, St John the Evangelist, Apostles, Confessors, and Martyrs.

Songlist: O cohors milite floris, O successores fortissimi leonis, O vos imitatores excelse, O dulcis electe, O victoriosissimi triumphatores, O cruor sanguinis, O vis aeternitatis, O splendidissima gemma

Oxford Camerata : English Madrigals And Songs

Review: The Oxford Camerata was formed to meet the growing demand for choral groups specializing in Renaissance music. Now comprised of 12 mixed voices Camerata has since expanded its repertoire to include music from the medieval period to the present day. Jeremy Summerly founded the Oxford Camerata after studying music at New College, Oxford, graduating with 1st Class Honors in 1982. "English Madrigals" is divided into 4 sections, "Early Tudor Songs," ("Pastime with good company," attributed to Henry VIII, "Blow thy horn, hunter," by Wm. Cornish, and "Hey trolly lolly lo"); "Madrigals from the Golden Age" ("Draw on, sweet night" and "Weep, Weep Mine Eyes,'" by John Wilbye, Richard Carlton's "Sound Saddest Notes" and Robt. Ramsey's "Sleep, Fleshly Birth"); and "Romantic Songs and Partsongs," (Robt. Pearsall's "Lay a garland," Somerset's "The trees they do grow high," and Charles Stanford's "The Blue Bird"). Nice liner notes booklet with all the lyrics and group info. Camerata's music soars in perfect, effortless harmony!

Songlist: Pastime With Good Company, Blow thy horn, hunter, Ah Robin, gentle Robin, Hey Trolly Lolly Lo, Draw on, Sweet Night, Thule, the Period of Cosmography, Weep. Weep Mine Eyes, As Vesta Was, Sound Saddest Notes, Fair Phyllis, Sleep. Fleshly Birth, Mother, I will have a Husband, Lay a Garland, Rigg Fair, The Trees They do Grow High, The Blue Bird

Oxford Camerata : Gesualdo: Sacred Mass for Five Voices

Review: Without doubt the music written by the prince of Verona is some of the most macabre yet outlandishly fantastic music ever written. The famous unprepared chromatic side steps remain decidedly unnerving even to a devoted Second Viennese School. The effect of the chromatic spirals is often vertigo inducing but also deeply moving and ultimately awe-inspiring. This is truly sublime music by a neglected genius. The performances here are amongst the very best available of Gesualdo's music - at any price. This would be a perfect place to start exploring this bizarre but inspired musical universe.

Songlist: Illumina faciem tuam, Deus refugium et virtus, Exaudi Deus deprecationem meam, Tribulationem et dolorem, Tribularer si nescirem, Precibus et meritis beatae Mariae, O Crux benedicta, O vos omnes, Dignare me laudare te, Maria mater gratiae, Laboravi in gemitu meo, Ave dulcissima Maria, Domine ne despicias, Peccantem me quotidie, Sancti Spiritus Domine, Hei mihi Domine, Venit lumen tuum Jerusalem, Reminiscere miserationum tuarum, Ave Regina coelorum

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Riu riu chiu

Oxford Camerata : Medieval Carols

Review: In 15th-century England a tradition grew up for the composition of polyphonic carols. None of them is ascribed to a specific composer or poet, neither is their function completely understood. The form is that of alternating verses and burdens (refrains), the language generally being a mixture of Latin and English. The majority of the carols have sacred texts and it is possible that these were designed for liturgical use. Others are moralistic or celebratory and were possibly used to enliven feasts and banquets in aristocratic households or for recreational purposes at educational establishments. This CD is (along with the selection of songs from the Piae Cantiones) the Camerata's smallest-scale recording project. Only four voices are used throughout (Rebecca Outram, Deborah Mackay, Philip Cave, and Jeremy Summerly) although one of the tracks does also involve Jeremy Summerly playing the tambourine! The Christmas spirit was well captured by arranging to record this CD in December in sub-zero temperatures. The project attracted much attention and ulitmately resulted in the milennial publication of a volume of medieval songs and carols by Faber Music entitled Passetime with good company!

Songlist: Ave Maria, What Tiding's Bringest Thou, O Virdissima Virga, Alma Redemptoris Mater, Deo Gracias Anglia, Be Merry Be Merry, Riu, Riu, Chiu, There Is No Rose, Planctus Guillelmus, Eya Mater Stephane, Gaudate Christus Est Natus, Hail Mary Full Of Grace, Now We May Singen, Nowell Sing We, Planctus David

Oxford Camerata : Renaissance Masterpieces

Review: It is doubtful whether any of the composers represented on this recording would have had an understanding of the term 'masterpiece' (let alone the term 'Renaissance') when applied to their own music. Similarly, it is unlikely that any of these composers would have considered themselves composers in the sense in which we now understand the word. The Renaissance musician was regarded as more craftsman than artist. Moreover, all of the music recorded here is entirely functional: it was all designed to be used within a living Latin liturgy; it had no other purpose. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but it may also be in the mind of the creator, and when composer and performer seem to perceive beauty within the same gesture (although separated by hundreds of years) we may be tempted to describe a work as masterly. In the Nunc dimiltis, for instance, Josquin's anonymous imitator may lack the technical refinement of his mentor, but the product is sincere and moving. Similarly, Thomas Morley's subsequent adaptation of Rogier's Laboravi in gemitu meo evidently reflects a contemporaneous respect for this beautifully-paced motet. And while King Joao IV may have been a discerning musical patron, he was neither a prolific nor great composer; however, Crux fidelis achieves a depth of emotion that was as recognizable to J. S. Bach as it must have been to King Joao's own subjects. Byrd's Laudibus in sanctis is the only concrete example on this recording of the composer giving a particular work his own seal of approval: its position at the head of the 1591 Cantiones sacrae proves that Byrd himself regarded this motet highly, and the fact that it now enjoys unreserved critical acclaim is comforting.

Songlist: Intemerata Dei mater, Nunc dimittis, Magnificat (Octavi toni), Surrexit pastor bonus, Laboravi in gemitu meo, Ego flos campi, Si ignoras te, Lauda mater ecclesia, Vadam et circuibo, Laudibus in sanctis, Crux fidelis

Oxford Camerata : Weelkes: Anthems

Review: If Weelkes stands slightly apart from his contemporaries then it is because he was perhaps the nearest the English got to a 'dare-devil'. The traits of the boldest compositions of his 1600 madrigal collection dig surprisingly deeply into the baroque psyche without ever drawing on specific 'baroque' practices: impetuosity, restlessness, a love of bold and startling symbolism, concentrated gestures, and an ambition for large structural coherence - all characteristics which would have found a natural home fifty years later. But when the madrigal soon, and ironically for Weelkes, became an anachronism he willingly turned his attention to the church, committed as he was to the bastion of counterpoint. However tempting it is to think of an innovator stifled by the conservatism of his age, the relatively experimental devices in the madrigals are surprisingly unintegral to Weelkes's musical style. He was never particularly responsive to words; as Hosanna to the son of David and Alleluia! I heard a voice display, his music is essentially driven by sonorous textures and an engagingly direct desire to set a text with the minimum of fuss.

Songlist: Hosanna to the son of David, Give ear, O Lord, All people clap your hands, What joy so true, O Lord, grant the king a long life, Lord, to thee I make my moan, All laud and praise, Lachrimae Pavan, A remembrance of my friend Thomas Morley, Passymeasures Pavan, Gloria in excelsis Deo, When David heard, Give the king thy judgements, O Lord, arise, O how amiable are thy dwellings, Most mighty and all-knowing Lord, Alleluia, I heard a voice

Oxford Camerata : William Byrd

Review: The early 1580s marked an important change in the sacred music of William Byrd, just as they did in the history of Catholicism in England. Many of the Latin motets of the 1580s, collected in two volumes of Cantiones sacrae, set words about the Babylonian Exile, charged with penitential ecstasy. These are non-liturgical works - indeed the text of Infelix ego draws on the Bible only indirectly through the pen of savonarola. The words, written as that Catholic puritan demagogue awaited execution in Florence, reflect on his own personal guilt and the redemptive pity of God. They stimulate Byrd's wide technical resources, from two- and three-part writing to complex six-part polyphony to dramatic homophony, the whole reminiscent of the vast Marian antiphons of Christopher Tye or William Mundy. By contrast, the Mass settings are compact and controlled. They belong to a later period, when Byrd's response to his circumstances had changed from the impassioned to the practical; the Gradualia represent an attempt to set music for the entire Catholic liturgy, and the Masses may have been linked to the same project.

Songlist: Mass for Four Voices:, -Kyrie, -Gloria, -Credo, -Sanctus, -Agnus Dei, Infelix ego, Mass for Five Voices, -Kyrie, -Gloria, -Credo, -Sanctus, -Agnus Dei

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Lo mi son giovinetta

Quink Vocal Ensemble : Renaissance Madrigals

Review: From about 1520 to about 1620 the Italian madrigal, which refers to almost any musical setting of secular verse (but especially those whose subject is love and death) of two to eight voice parts, had its brief but brilliant lifetime. Quink, (Kees-Jan de Koning, bass, Harry van Berne, tenor, Paula de Wit, soprano, Machteld van Woerden, soprano, and Corrie Pronk, alto) since its debut in 1978 has established its reputation and following on the international concert scene. "Renaissance" features 14 madrigals, one by Cipriano de Rore, four by Giaches de Wert, three by Claudio Monteverdi, two by Alessandro Scarlatti and four by Alessandro Stradella. The liner notes contain bios of these men, and the words of all the songs in Italian and English. Beautiful harmonies!

Songlist: Alla Dlce ombra, Dura Legge D'Amor, Lo Non Son Pero Morto, Datemi Pace, Vezzosi Augelli, Baci, Soavi E Cari, Lo Mi Son Giovinetta, Si Ch'io Vorrei Morire, O Selce, O tigre, O Ninfa, Mori Mi Dici, Tirsi Un Giorno Piangea, Pupilette Amorose, Piangete, Occhi Dolenti, Clori Son Fido Amante

Rose Ensemble : Slavic Holiday

Review: The Rose Ensemble's third recording features music from medieval and Renaissance Poland and Czechoslovakia, including motets from the Prague manuscript Codex Specialnik and several lovely spiritual songs extolling the virtues of various Slavic saints and heroes. The Rose Ensemble, based in Minneapolis/St. Paul, handles this material with great skill and grace. Their vocal tone is bright yet warm, and their articulation is clear and crisp. This is interesting music from a part of the world we've just begun to explore. This music is at once familiar and exotic.

Songlist: O Beate Stanislae, Beata es virgo, Nobis est natus hodie, In natali Domini, Beatus Adalbertus, Per merita sancti Adalberti, Alme presul et beate, Poslan jest od Boha andel, Magnificat, Dies est Laetitiae, Stala se jest vec divna, De Nativitate Domino, Hospodine, Pomiluj Ny, Pisen o Koncilu Kostnickem, Primo Tempore, Svaty Vaclave, Dulce Melos, Salve pater optime, Decet huius cuntis horis

Sixteen : Allegri Miserere

Review: The haunting tones of Allegri's Miserere are uniquely and instantly recognizable even to those who know little sacred music. It was only ever sung in the Sistine Chapel, where Allegri himself was a chorister. Palestrina had sung there before Allegri was born and his best-known work is Miss Papae Marcelli. Like his Stabat Mater it combines exquisite poise with a translucent setting of words. Chromaticism and blossoming cadences are employed to heart-rending effect in Lotti's eight-part Crucifixus in a unique blend of 16th and 18th century musical styles.

Songlist: Crucifixus, Stabat mater Dolorosa, Miserere Mei, Missa Papae Marcelli, - Kyrie, - Gloria, Credo, - Sanctus and Benedictus, - Agnus Dei I, - Agnus Dei II

Sixteen : An Eternal Harmony

Review: The vast power of the Royal Courts of England and Scotland may be long gone but the sumptuous sounds of their worship are not lost. This disc brings together music of some of the most outstanding but now little-known composers of the 15th and 16th centuries, and introduces a major new work by one of this century's most remarkable composers, James Macmillan. Robert Carver's mesmeric setting of the devotional text "O bone Jesu" has long been admired and has now proved an inspiration to James MacMillan who has chosen with this special commission for The Sixteen, to clothe the same text in his own musical language of reflective beauty. "This 25th Anniversary CD is a delight, and like all great recordings it gets better the more you listen to it." - BBC Radio 3, CD Review

Songlist: Dum Sacrum Mysterium, Credo From Mass, O Bone Jesu, When David Heard, In Monte Oliveti, O Vos Omnes, How Are The Mighty Fallin', Salve Regina, Ave Maria Mater Dei, O Bone Jesu

Sixteen : Christmas Music from Medieval & Renaissance

Review: A fine collection of Christmas music from medieval and renaissance Europe by this highly accomplished choir under the direction of Harry Christophers. Many works from England including the stunning Tallis composition "Videte Miraculuum' and several carols from Europe including those by Jacob Handl, Jean Mouton and Orlandus Lassus.

Songlist: Puer Natus Est Nobis, Nowell Nowell In Bethlehem, Gaudete, Nesciens Mater, The Song Of The Nuns Of Chester, Coventry Carol, The Boar's Head Carol, Videte Miraculum, Quem Pastores Laudavere, Pueri Concinite, O Magnum Mysterium, Resonet In Laudibus, In Dulci Jubilo, Riu, Riu, Chiu, Nesciens Mater, Omnes De Saba

Sixteen : Christus Natus Est - An Early English Christmas

Review: Amongst the exhaustive catalogue of recordings devoted to Christmas music, this particular example - focusing on works written in England during the Middle Ages and Renaissance - can be warmly recommended indeed. The performances, as ever by this superb choir, are polished and beautifully executed, and the program is varied both in terms of the selection of pieces (carols, motets, ballads, chant...) and also in the interpretations (usually choir or consort but sometimes 1 singer, occasionally accompanied by instruments - harp, lute, rebec/fiddle, drums). Furthermore, a number of the tracks constitute probably the best available performances of certain works.

Songlist: Verbum caro, Salutation Carol, Nowell, sing we, both all and some, Gaudete, Hail Mary full of Grace, Gloria in excelsis, There is no rose, Nowell, nowell: Out of your sleep, Remember O thou man, Quid petis, O Fili?, Sweet was the song, Lullaby my sweet little baby, Are rex angelorum, Drive the cold winter away, Nowell, nowell: The boares head, The old year now has passed away, Angelus ad Virginem, Nowell, nowell: Dieu vous garde, Make we joy, Verbum caro

Sixteen : Flowering of Genius

Review: Music from a turning point in history .... the short-lived marriage between Mary Tudor and Philip II of Spain, although barren and doomed, resulted in a glorious flowering of Anglo-Spanish music which saw the greatest musicians from the two nations meeting and working together. The music for a flamboyant Christmas Day ceremony in St. Paul's Cathedral in 1554 was a celebratory focal point of an extraordinary resurgence of the Catholic faith in England, fuelled by hopes, soon to be dashed, that Mary was pregnant.

Songlist: Francisco Guerrero (1528-1599): Ave Virgo sanctissima, Thomas Tallis (1505-1585): Suscipe quaeso, Tomas Luis de Victoria (1548-1611):, O Vos Omnes, - Vere languores, - O Domine Iesu Christe, Thomas Tallis: Agnus Dei from mass "Puer natus", Tomas Luis de Victoria:, - Super flumina Babylonis, - Vadam et circuibo, - Laudate Dominum omes gentes, John Sheppard (1500-1558): Verbum caro, Philippe de Monte (1521-1603): Super flumina Babylonis, William Byrd (1543-1623): Quomodo catabimus

Sixteen : Hodie - An English Christmas Collection

Review: The recordings of The Sixteen have been treasured by collectors of superb choral music Hodie is a beautifully programmed disc of seasonal music from England's greatest composers Featured are perennial favorites by William Walton, Edmund Rubbra, John Tavener, Herbert Howells, and Peter Warlock and as a very special centerpiece, one of the all time critically acclaimed performances of Benjamin Britten's ever-popular A Ceremony of Carols.

Songlist: Make we joy now in this fest, Coventry Carol, A babe is born, The Virgin's Cradle Song, A Hymn to the Virgin, The Lamb, A Ceremony of Carols , Sing Lullaby, Lute book lullaby, A Spotless Rose, Corpus Christi, Balulalow, Benedicamus Domino, Tomorrow shall be my dancing day

Sixteen : Tallis - Sacred Choral Works - Spem in alium

Review:

Songlist: Spem in alium, Te lucis ante terminum, O nata lux, The Lamentations ofJeremiah:, I Incipit lamentatio Jeremiae prophetae, II De lamentatione Jeremiae phophetae, O Sacrum Convivium, Jesu salvator saeculi, Salvator mundi, salva nos, Loquenbantur variis linguis, Gaude glorioa Dei Mater

Sixteen : Thomas Tallis : Spem in alium

Review: Newly recorded in the round and in surround sound, Thomas Tallis' 40-part motet, Spem in alium, one of the great landmarks of polyphony, forms the centre-piece of this dazzling CD. Under the theme, Music for Monarchs and Magnates' The Sixteen draws together music by Tallis, Byrd, Gibbons and Thomas Tomkins, some of it never before recorded, some indeed not performed since the time of its writing. It explores the use of music for ceremonial, even propaganda purposes by the state, contrasted with the composers' private use of biblical texts to give public vent to their own sometimes dangerous views in an England torn by political and religious strife. Alongside the usual 40 voice setting of Spem in Alium is an English version of the same work - Sing and Glorify - which was adapted to an English text for King James I to honour his son Henry, the newly-annointed Prince of Wales. With cornetts, sackbuts, dulcians and organs in place of some voices, this is a glorious complement to the usual version.

Songlist: Spem in Alium, O all true faithful hearts, Deus venerunt gentes, Know you not, Great King of Gods (Lord of Lords), O God, the heathen are come, Te Deum, Be Strong and of A Good Courage, Spem in Alium (also set as "Sing and glorify")

Sixteen : Tomas Luis de Victoria - Requiem 1605

Review: This new recording features the celebrated Requiem of 1605, Victoria's final composition, a work of beguiling beauty and sumptuous simplicity. It can be seen as the summation of both his art and the Spanish Renaissance tradition. The beautiful plainsong on which it is structured can be heard arching through the texture, forming a delicate and sinuous line throughout. Subtly accompanied by a chamber organ and bajon, it is recorded here with the same forces as may well have performed it originally in the Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales. The Requiem is preceded by Marian Antiphons interspersed with three motets setting texts from the Song of Songs.

Songlist: Salve Regina, Ave Regina caelorum, Nigra sum, Quam pulchri sunt, Trahe me post te, Ave Regina caelorum a, Taedet animam meam, Missa pro defunctis a 6 Introit, Kyrie, Gradual, Offertory, Sanctus & Benedictus, Agnus Dei, Communion, Funeral motet: Versa est in luctum, Responsory: Libera me

Sixteen : Victoria - The Call Of The Beloved

Review: The great Spanish composer and priest, Victoria, devoted his life to writing supremely uplifting and intense music throughout the church calendar. The Call of the Beloved includes some of the earliest triple-choir music ever to be published and is a reminder of Victoria's joyous and passionate music, complementing his more austere Requiem and music for Holy Week. "If one can ever achieve complete emotional expression through the power of music, then here it is." - Harry Christophers. "This is a beautifully prepared and rewarding recording that deepens our appreciation of one of the greatest masters of the renaissance." - Gramophone

Songlist: Motet: Laetatus sum a 12, Missa: Laetatus sum a 12, Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Benedictus, Agnus Dei, Hymn: Veni creator spiritus a 4, Motet: Vadam et circuibo civitatem a 6, Motet: Vidi speciosam a 6, Hymn: Ad caenam Agni providi a 4, Magnificat Sexti toni a 12

Stile Antico : Music For Compline

Review: For their spectacular debut recording, the exciting young British early-music vocal group Stile Antico presents a program of English Renaissance music associated with the office of Compline (absorbed by the Anglican Church into Evensong), the service that ends the monastic liturgical day. A who's-who of 16th-century British composers, including Thomas Tallis, William Byrd and John Sheppard, are represented here by hymns, antiphons, responsories, motets and psalms-the occasion not only for music of intimacy, elegance and reflection, but for flights of breathtaking canonic and contrapuntal invention and harmonic daring.

Songlist: Libera Nos I & II - Shepard, Salva Nos, Domine - Plainchant, Christe, Qui Lux Es Et Dies - Byrd, In Pace In Idipsum - Shepard, In Manus Tuas - Tallis, Jesu Salvator Saeculi Verbum - Shepard, In Manus Tuas I - Shepard, In Manus Tuas II & III - Shepard, Miserere Nostri Domine - Plainchant, Miserere Nostri Domine - Tallis, Miserere Mihi Domine - Byrd, In Pace In Idipsum - Tallis, Christe Qui Lux Es Et Dies - White, Veni, Domine - Plainchant, Nunc Dimittis - Byrd, Te Lucis Ante Terminum - Tallis, Gaude, Virgo Mater Christi - Aston

Stile Antico : Song of Songs

Review: The beautiful and often erotic poetry of the Song of Songs found some of its most sumptuous settings in the motets of Palestrina, Lassus, Victoria and other Continental 16th-century masters. Sung here by Britain's "brightest new stars" of Renaissance polyphony, the singers of Stile Antico, these staples of the choral repertory have never before sounded so vital or texturally rich.

Songlist: Ego Flos Campi, Osculetur Me, Antiphon: Dum Esset Rex, Surge, Propera Amica Mea, Quam Pulchra Es, Antiphon: Nigra Sum, Veni, Dilecte Mi, Vadam Et Circuibo, Alleluia: Tota Pulchra Es, Ego Flos Campi, Nigra Sum, Antiphon: Laeva Eius, Hortus Conclusus, Nigra Sum, Antiphon: Speciosa Facta es, Veni, Dilecte Mi, Trahe Me Post Te, Antiphon: Iam Hiems Transiit, Vidi Speciosam

Suspicious Cheese Lords : Maestro di Capella - Music of Elzear Genet (Carpentras)

Review: Elzear Genet (c. 1470-1548) sang in the papal chapel under Pope Julius II, and thereafter in the court of the French king Louis XII. On November 5, 1513, he became the first composer to be named Master of the Papal Chapel. Working for Pope Leo X, who, in the Medici tradition, was a lavish patron of the arts, Genet's musical output became exclusively sacred. Although Genet was the first composer to publish his collected works, his music has unjustly fallen into near-oblivion. By the late 16th century, Genet's works had been replaced with newer settings by Palestrina and other composers. Sadly, there are no documented performances of his music again until the early 19th century.

Songlist: Gabriel angelus, Tibi Christe, Virgo prudentissima, Jubilate Deo, Crucem tuam adoramus, Magnificat, Haec est illa dulcis rosa, Missa "Se mieulx ne vient", Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Agnes Dei, Pange lingua

Suspicious Cheese Lords : Missa L'homme arme - Sacred Music of Ludwig Senfl

Review: Missa L'homme Arme: Sacred Music of Ludwig Senfl is the Cheese Lords' second CD, and a world premeire recording of the music of Ludwig Senfl (1486-1543). Senfl was born in Basel, Switzerland around 1486. At an early age he joined the court chapel of the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilain I, as a choirboy. In Maximilian's chapel, Senfl met and studied with the court composer Henrich Isaac, and after a brief time away from the chapel, returned as an adult singer and Isaac's principle assistant. After Maximilan's death in 1519, his chapel was disbanded and Senfl's history is less clear. Eventually, he joined the chapel of Duke Wilhelm IV of Bavaria, where he remained until his death in 1542 or 1543. Senfl was a prolific composer with an output of over 100 mass settings, 50 vespers settings, and over 100 sacred motets. The vast majority of Senfl's music is unrecorded. The Cheese Lords are proud to present this selection of Senfl's sacred work, featuring a mass based on the popular French tune L'homme arme.

Songlist: Te Deum, Miserere mei Deus, Virgo prudentissima / Fortuna desperata, Quid vitam sine te, L'homme arme, Missa "L'homme arme", Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Agnus Dei

Tallis Scholars : Allegri Miserere

Review: The Allegri Miserere, probably the most famous piece of this period is usually coupled with other well known pieces. This recording has the advantage of including a couple of less-known, but stunning works (okay, the Palestrina is quite popular, but even so...). As usual, the Tallis Scholars give a polished performance. Altogether, it's a great recording,

Songlist: Miserere, Vox Patris caelestis, Missa Papae Marcelli, Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus & Benedictus, Agnus Dei I & II

Tallis Scholars : Christmas Carols & Motets

Review: Recorded at the Church of St Peter and St Paul in Norfolk, England, this collection of medieval carols, renaissance motets and German chorales by this English mixed ensemble is devout, harkening back to to a time centuries past. Performed with as much allegiance to the original forms as possible, these are simple arrangements, many of which would have been sung by the populus at large, in commemoration of religious occasions. Four settings of "Ave Maria," two attributed to Victoria and one to Des Pres among them, are represented; musically, this ubiquituous homage to the blessed Virgin was distinguished by variations in rhythm, texture and so forth. A peaceful and serene recording.

Songlist: Medieval Carols, Angelus ad Virginem, Nowell Sing We, There Is No Rose, Nowell: Dieu Vous Garde, Coventry Carol, Lullay: I saw, Lully, Lulla Thou Little Tiny Child, Lullaby by William Byrd, Settings Of Ave Maria, Ave Maria for four voices by Josquin Des Pres, Beata Es Virgo / Ave Maria for seven voices by Philippe Verdelot, For four voices attributed to Victoria, For double choir by Victoria, German Chorales, Es Ist Ein' Ros', Joseph Lieber, In Dulci Jubilo, Wachet Auf, Ruft Uns Die Stimme

Tallis Scholars : English Madrigals

Review: To celebrate their 25th anniversary, sacred music specialists the Tallis Scholars re-released on their own Gimell label a disc that has been a cipher in their catalog for a long time, English Madrigals, recorded in 1982 for EMI's Classics for Pleasure imprint and unavailable for so long as to be virtually forgotten. It is heartening to see the list of singers active under Peter Philips' direction in that bygone era -- Emily van Evera, Margaret Philpot, Michael Chance, and Andrew King among them -- all names unknown in 1982 that have figured very prominently in the early music boom soon to follow. As the original Classics for Pleasure LP, though digitally recorded, ran short by twenty-first century standards, Gimell has expanded it through including the odd pieces used to fill out an early release, Tomkins: The Great Service. As one comes to expect from the Tallis Scholars in music of a more serious kind, the performances of the English Madrigals are terrific; in the notes, Philips states that their ultimate single-mindedness might have slackened somewhat "if there hadn't been so much first-rate sacred music to explore."

Songlist: Hark, All Ye Lovely Saints, Hark, Alleluia, Phyllis, I Fain Would Die Now, Cruel Madame, Ah Dear Heart, Draw On Sweet Night, All Creatures Now, Sleep, Fleshly Birth, Carters, Now Cast Down, Woe Is Me, Though Amaryllis Dance, The Silver Swan, When David Heard, Then David Mourned, Almighty God, The Fountain Of All Wisdom, Woe Is Me, Be Strong And Of A Good Courage, O Sing Unto The Lord A New Song, O God, The Proud Are Risen Against Me

Tallis Scholars : Josquin

Review: This recording presents the only two Masses by Josquin which are entirely based on canons; a single melody stated in different voice-parts at different times so that it overlaps with itself. To write this kind of music may sound academic to the modern mind: who is interested in mathematical scaffolding which most people can't hear? But Josquin was interested in it - as were many later composers from Bach to Brahms to Webern - and I knew that, like every composer of genius, he would relish the challenge. -Peter Phillips

Songlist: Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus & Benedictus, Agnus Dei I, II & III, Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus & Benedictus, Agnus Dei I, II & III, Sanctus & Benedictus, Agnus Dei I, II & III

Tallis Scholars : Lamenta

Review: Haunting performances by the Tallis Scholars of music reflecting the dark and anguished emotions of Holy Week. As Easter music, this CD is a perfect addition to the St Matthew and St John Passions. - "Turning to the Tallis Scholars is a reminder of how supremely good Peter Phillips and his singers really are. It is like the move from an ordinary family car to a high-octane Ferrari, a magnificently honed machine in which every component functions superbly." (Gramophone)

Songlist: Lamentations I, Lamentations I, Lamentations II, Lamentations, Lamentations (5vv), Lamentations For Holy Saturday (Lesson 3, 6vv)

Tallis Scholars : Palestrina Masses - Missa Benedicta es

Review: The reputation of a composer of Palestrina's enormous output is necessarily based on a selection of his work. Since there have been no recordings, no offprints, no very accessible discussions of the Missa Benedicta es, it has been impossible for the work to become widely admired. It shows a side of Palestrina's writing which is not fully recognized: his indebtedness to Josquin. In addition, apart from its remarkable music, it has an important place in musical history. If ever it was thought necessary to prove that Palestrina early in his life gained much from coming under the influence of the great Franco-Flemish composers, this resplendent parody mass shows how important they were to him and how he could turn their idiom to his own ends. 25 years ago, Peter Phillips and The Tallis Scholars made their debut with this recording. To celebrate this milestone, Gimell offers this limited-edition budget priced reissue.

Songlist: Plainchant: Benedicta es, Benedicta es, Missa Benedicta es, Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus & Benedictus, Agnus Dei I & II, Missa Nasce la gioja mia, Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus & Benedictus, Agnus Dei I & II

Tallis Scholars : Sarum Chant

Review: The Sarum Use was a medieval variant of the Roman Catholic liturgy originating at Salisbury and used throughout pre-Reformation England. The plainchant on this recording is from the First Mass of Christmas, known as the Mass at Cock-crow.

Songlist: Missa In Gallicantu, Christe Redemptor Omnium, Veni, Redemptor Gentium, Salvator Mundi, Domine, A Solis Ortis Cardine

Tallis Scholars : Thomas Tallis - Spem In Alium

Review: "Spem in alium" is one of the most remarkable pieces ever written. This forty-voice motet for eight five-part choirs has carefully constructed counterpoint in alternation with striking homophony. No one is certain of the reasons that led Tallis to write something so bold. The large number of choirs creates an amazing stereo-effect and, therefore, is often sung surrounding the audience. The remaining motets on this recording are no less astounding. His merits as a composer must be remembered, as he remained court composer, despite being Catholic, under the rule of Elizabeth I. As usual, the Tallis Scholars lend sheer beauty and clarity to this phenomenal music.

Songlist: Spem in alium, Sancte Deus, Salvator mundi, salva nos I, Salvator mundi, salva nos II, Gaude gloriosa, Miserere nostri, Loquebantur variis linguis

Trio Mediaeval : Soir, dit-elle

Review: Founded in Oslo in 1997, trio mediaeval's repertoire is polyphonic medieval music from England and France, contemporary works and Norwegian medieval ballads and songs. Their first CD, "Words of the Angel," was released in 2001 and immediately went to the Billboard Top 10 Bestsellers list. "Soir, dit-elle" was released in 2004 and remained on the top-10 list for weeks. Linn, Torunn and Anna, trio mediaeval, sing music spanning some 500 years, but to them it is part of a timeless present. "Soir" has a sacred work by Leonel Power (1370-1445), "Missa "Alma redemptoris mater;" and 5 contemporary works, all composed for the group: Ivan Moody's "The Troparion of Kassiani," Gavin Bryars' "Laude novella-Ave regina gloriosa" and "Ave donna santissima-Venite a laudare," Andrew Smith's "Ave Maria-Regina caeli," and Oleh Harkavyy's "Kyrie." The perfect voices rise and blend in the atmosphere, carrying us up to another realm, a place of beauty, peace and meditation.

Songlist: Kyrie, Gloria, Laude novella, Ave regina gloriosa, Credo, Ave Maria, Regina caeli, Ave donna santissima, Sanctus, The Troparion of Kassiani, Venite a laudare, A Lion's Sleep, Agnus Dei, Alma redemptoris mater

Listen to
O Maria, stella maris, conductus

Trio Mediaeval : Stella Maris

Review: Anna, Linn and Torunn, the 3 beautiful women who are Oslo, Norway's brilliant, ethereal Trio Mediaeval, bring us their second CD. The group's chosen repertoire of polyphonic medieval music from England and France, and contemporary works is represented here by 7 haunting polyphonic pieces from 12th and 13th century England (favorites being 2 odes to the Virgin Mary, "Flos regalis virginalis" and "O Maria, stella maris;" the group-arranged "Dou way Robyn/Sancta Mater," and 3-voice conductus "Veni creator spiritus" and "Beata viscera;" and 2-voice conductus "Dum sigillum." In addition there are the 5 movements of a contemporary work by Korean composer Sungji Hong, "Missa Lumen de Lumine," dedicated to Trio Mediaeval and written for 3 voices. The ringing tones and soaring harmonies take us to a sublime soundscape of wonder and meditation.

Songlist: Flos regalis virginalis, O Maria, stella maris, conductus, Quem trina polluit, Dou Way, Robin, Veni creator spiritus, Dum sigillum summi Patris, Beata viscera, Missa lumen de lumine

Tudor Choir : Fair With Her First Born

Review: The music on this recording spans many centuries, including 20th-century carols, Tudor polyphony, and chant from medieval England's Sarum rite. Producing a choral sound that is distinctly English in heritage, the Tudor Choir sings this music with intelligence and heart. Shape note music, Shaker songs, Sheppard, Tallis, and Victoria.

Songlist: Out fo your sleep, Verbum caro, The truth from above, Ave maris Stella, Gabriel's Message, Ecce Virgo Concipiet, There is no rose of such virtue, A solis ortus cardine, Eterne Laudis Lilium, Christe, Redemptor omnium, Make we jow now in this fest, Nesciens mater, In The Bleak Mid-Winter, Reges Tharsis, Bethlehem Down, Salvator mundi, Domine, The blessed Song of God

Various Artists : Gregorian Christmas Chants

Review: A truly Gregorian Christmas album, this prayerful recording of seven different chant choirs includes the Benedictine Abbeys of Montserrat, Maumont, Einsiedeln, the Dominican Schola of France, the Paris Gregorian Choir and more. Outstanding performances of 23 chants for Masses and other liturgical events on Christmas Eve, Christmas Night and Christmas Day.

Songlist: Christmas Eve, Antiphone: Judaea Et Jerusalem, Reponsory: Salve VIrginale, Antiphon Completi Sunt Dies Mariae, Christmas Night, Responsory Hodie Nobis De Caelo, Reading: Genealogy According to Saint Matthew, Responsory: Verbum Caro, Introit: Dominus Dixit Ad Me, Kyrie IV, Offertory: Laetentur Caeli, Agnus Dei IV, Offertory: Laetentur Caeli, Agnus Dei IV, Communion: In Splendoribus, Christmas Day, Hymn: A Solis Ortus Cardine, Mass of the Day, Introit: Puer Natus Est Nobis, Kyrie XI, Gloria XI, Gradual: Viderunt Omnes Fines Terrae, Alleluia: Dies Sanctificatus, Offertory Tui Sunt Caeli, Sanctus XI, Agnus Dei XI, Communion: Viderunt Omnes Fines Terrae, Antiphon: Natus Est Nobis Hodie, Alma Redemptoris Mater

Voices of Ascension : Berlioz Te Deum

Review:

Songlist: Te Deum, Op. 22:, Te Deum, Tibi omnes, Dignare, Christe, Rex gloriae, Te ergo quaesumus, Judex crederis, Spoken Commentary by Dennis Keene:, Introductory comments, Te Deum commentary, Tibe omnes commentary, Dignare commentary, Christe, Rex gloriae commentary, Te ergo quaesumus commentary, Judex crederis commentary

Voices of Ascension : Beyond Chant: Mysteries of the Renaissance

Review: review pending

Songlist: Sicut Cervus, Ave Maria, Justorum Animae, Jesu Rex admirabilis, Exultate Deo, Exultate Justi, Jesu, Dulcis Memoria, Ave Verum Corpus, Psalm 90, Psalm 96, Hodie Christus Natus, O Maria Virgo Pia, Tu Pauperum Refugium, O Sacrum Convivium, If Ye Love Me, Keep My Commandments, Hosanna to the Son of David, O Quam Goriosum, Selig sind die Toten, Heu Nos Miseros, Exaltabo Te, O Sing Joyfully, O Magnum Mysterium, Laudate Nomen, Cantate Domino

Voices of Ascension : Mysteries Beyond - In Praise of Mary

Review: "Mysteries" is a very special collection of the Keene's and the Voices of Ascension's favorite pieces from many periods and countries having to do with Mary, mother of Jesus. Two of our favorites are two of the oldest pieces on the recording, the lovely a cappella "Alma Redemptoris Mater" by Giovanni Palestrina and Tomas Luis de Victoria's classic "Ave Maria." Other favorites are Anton Bruckner's "Gradual: Os Justi," Gabriel Faure's "Tantum Ergo," which only grows more beautiful with repeated hearings, Schubert's "Die Allmacht" and "Psalm 23," Pablo Casals' "Eucaristica," Charles Gounod's "Ave Maria," and Felix Mendelssohn's "Psalm 43." Some light accompaniment by harp, piano and organ. New York City's 38-strong, mixed-voice Voices of Ascension is one of our favorite choirs recording sacred music, and "Mysteries" is an inspiring joy from the first cut to the last!

Songlist: Alma Redemptoris Mater, Gradual: Os Justi, Tantum Ergo, Ave Maria, Ave Maria, Tota Pulchra Es, Ave Maria, Die Allmacht, Ave Maria, Eucaristica, Ave Maria, Psalm 23, Psalm 43, Ave Maria, Cantique de Jean Racine, Ubi Caritas

Voices of Ascension : Prince of Music - Palestrina

Review: One of the finest (and most prolific) mixed choirs recording sacred music we have heard, NYC's exquisite Voices of Ascension turns their attention to Giovanni Pierluigi de Palestrina, the most famous Italian composer of his day. Laid to rest in one of the side chapels of St. Peter's in Rome at his death in 1594, the plaque on his coffin is inscribed "Prince of Music." Included here are the 6-part "Missa Papae Marcelli" and the 7th part, "Agnus Dei II," 8 "Motets and Offertories," and bonus tracks "Alma Redemptoris Mater," "Sicut cervus" and its second part, "Sitivit anima mea." The music is all a cappella, and to listen to any random movement, such as "Credo," "Sanctus," "Tue es Petrus" or "Peccantem me quotidie" is to hear the songs of angels, some of the most beautiful a cappella music ever written!

Songlist: Missa Papae Marcelli ~ Kyrie eleison, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Benedictus, Angus Dei I, Secundum multitudinem, Tu es Petrus, Dum complerentur, O Domine Jesu Christe, Super flumina Babilonis, Canite tuba, Rorate coeli, Peccantem me quotidie, Agnus Dei II, Alma Redemptoris Mater, Sicut cervus, Sitivit anima mea

Voices of Ascension : The Durufle Album

Review: Organist and Choirmaster of the Church of the Ascension Dennis Keene has dedicated a large part of his career to the music of Maurice Durufle, having conducted all of the French composer's choral works in performance. Here are Durufle's finest sacred works, the 9 soaring, dramatic movements of "Requiem, Op. 9," "Messe 'Cum Jubilo," Op. 11," and the lovely short piece, "Notre Pere." All orchestra-accompanied with some nice viola, violoncello, horn and harp solos. Vocal solos by Patricia Spence and Francois Le Roux are standouts. The Voices of Ascension is one of our favorite mixed choirs and "Album" is a wonderful collection of works by the master 20th century sacred composer.

Songlist: Introit, Kyrie, Domine Jesu Christe, Sanctus, Pie Jasu, Agnus Dei, Lux aeterna, Liberma me, In Paradisum, Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, Benedictus, Agnus Dei, Notre Pere

Voices of Ascension : Voices of Angels

Review: With this recording New York City's Voices of Ascension and Conductor Keene celebrate the 900th birthday of one of the most remarkable creative spirits of the Middle Ages, the Abbess Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179). Although some musicians embellish Hildegard's single line chants with additional parts, the Voices of Ascension's approach is to present the inspired poetry and music of this mystic visionary "pure," without any contemporary additions. We are hearing, in these 14 haunting pieces, the Women of the Voices of Ascension, a mixed-voice choir on all their other excellent recordings. Soloists Kathy Theil, Michele Eaton, Alexandra Montano and Allessandra Visconti are particularly wonderful on cuts like "O virga ac diadema," "Vos Flores Rosarum," "Et Ideo," "O Pastor animarum,""Caritas Abundat," "Ave, generosa" and "O Jerusalem, aurea civitatus." All beautiful, soaring a cappella. This is simple, powerful music that touches and speaks to us across more than 8 centuries, in a way that its composer could never have imagined.

Songlist: O virga ac diadema, O viridissima virga, Vos Flores Rosarum, O Ecclesia, Columba aspexit, Et Ideo, O Euchari columba, O Pastor animarum, O clarissima mater, Caritas Abundat, O presul vere civitatis, Ave, generosa, Unde Quocumque, O lerusalem, aurea civitatis

Yale Schola Cantorium - Simon Carrington : Bertali - Missa Ressurectionis

Review: According to a note on the cover of the original manuscript, which survives in the Castle Archives at Kromeriz in the Czech Republic, Bertali's Missa Resurrectionis was performed in Vienna, seat of the Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I, on Easter Sunday 1666. The Missa Resurrectionis is one of several dozen settings by Bertali that include all five sections of the Common of the Mass: Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus & Benedictus, and Agnus Dei. This was by no means always the case - various religious feasts required only a Missa brevis (Kyrie and Gloria only), while others also included a setting of the Credo. Two motets by the North German singer-composer Christian Geist (1670-1711) set suitable Easter texts: Resurrexi et adhuc tecum sum is the Introit for Easter Sunday, while Surrexit pastor bonus comes from the Matins service for Easter Monday. Directed by former King's Singer Simon Carrington this is a most fascinating recording.

Songlist: Kyrie, Toccata in C, Gloria, Alleluia; Surrexit pastor bonus, Sonata Petri et Pauli, Credo, Resurrexi et adhuc tecum sum, Sonata a 3, Sanctus, Benedictus, Sonata a 7, Sonata a 3, Agnus Dei

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