Los Angeles Chamber Singers' Cappella was founded by director Peter Rutenberg in 1993 and performs a cappella musical literature from the 15th, 16th and early 17th centuries, in period vocal style. Many of the 19 mixed-voice singers are accomplished soloists, studio musicians, composers and choral directors in their own right. In addition to standard masterworks of the period by Lassus, Palestrina, Byrd, Victoria, Tallis, Josquin and others, the ensemble enjoys seeking out and performing significant but rarely heard, or recently rediscovered works. There are 13 pieces here by Juan Gutierrez de Padilla (1590-1664), who is rightly remembered as a master polychoralist, intense contrapuntalist and richly colorful harmonist. His work is seen as the first flowerings of Mexico's Golden Age, which reached full bloom with the music of Zumaya and Jerusalem 100 years later. "Deus in adiutorium meum intende," the five wonderfully harmonic movements ("Kyrie," "Gloria," "Credo," "Sanctus" and "Agnus Dei") of "Missa Ego flos campi," "Versa est in luctum," "Lamentations for Maundy Thursday," "Velum templi scissum est" and "Mirabilia testimonia tua" - these are soaring harmonic poems, designed to be sung in a cathedral's vast acoustics, to allow the worshippers to close their eyes and hear the sounds of angels. Extensive liner notes translate the lyrics and include a comprehensive history of the composer. Stunningly beautiful! |
