The now Grammy-winning, San Francisco-based Chanticleer was originally devoted to the Renaissance vocal repertory; their focus has broadened since to include other genres as well as commissioned works. "Magnificat," however, featuring settings by de Victoria, Palestrina, Monteverdi and Taverner (as well as the less ubiquitous Russian Orthodox Vasily Titov), returns to liturgical chant. These twelve male voices, under the musical direction of Joseph Jennings and performing arrangements encompassing the full vocal range, bring a seemingly effortless grandeur to these homages to the Blessed Virgin. This tapestry of sound is a gentle whisper of comfort and reprieve. |
