Giovanni Pierluigi Da Palestrina

On this CD:

1. Missa Descendit angelus Domini, for 4 voices
Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

Conducted by Elizabeth C. Patterson

2. Super flumina Babylonis, motet for 4 voices (from Motets Book II for 4 voices)
Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

Conducted by Elizabeth C. Patterson

3. Ad te levavi, motet for 4 voices (from Motets Book II for 4 voices)
Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

Conducted by Elizabeth C. Patterson

4. Miserere nostri, Domine, motet for 4 voices (from Motets Book II for 4 voices)
Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

Conducted by Elizabeth C. Patterson

5. Sicut cervus, motet for 4 voices (from Motets Book II for 4 voices)
Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

Conducted by Elizabeth C. Patterson

6. Sitivit anima mea, motet
Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

Conducted by Elizabeth C. Patterson

7. Missa De Beata Virgine II, for 6 voices
Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

Conducted by Elizabeth C. Patterson

8. Jubilate Deo omnis terra, motet for 8 voices (from Motets Book II for 5, 6, & 8 voices)
Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina

Conducted by Elizabeth C. Patterson

Editorial Reviews
In Tune Magazine
Even an atheist can be moved by the riches of this music, especially when so astounding in performance and recording. If we have ever had a finer Palestrina recording available, I've not heard it.

Harmonia Early Music Newsletter
There is a depth of emotion these singers bring to their work that goes beyond mere professional performance practice. The freshness and immediacy here breathes life back into the veins of history. Truly beautiful singing.

Album Description
Following its critically acclaimed premier release, Gloriæ Dei Cantores, under the direction of Elizabeth Patterson, is re-releasing eight works by Italian composer Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestina. The rarely performed Missa Beata Mariæ Virginis II is heard here in its debut recording. Another of Palestrina’s 104 masses, Missa "Descendit Angelus Domini" is included on this recording, as well as five of his 375 motets, derived from chant, and intended to draw the listeners attention to the liturgy and the text. Super Flumina Babylonis, Ad Te levavi oculos meos, Miserere nostri Domine, Sicut cervus, and Sitivit anima mea, are performed by a smaller ensemble drawn from the larger choir, in accordance with the style and acoustic ambience of Palestrinian polyphony. The recording closes with the eight part Jubilate Deo for two choirs, a majestic conclusion to a disc originally recorded by Gloriæ Dei Cantores in 1993 in commemoration of the 400th anniversary of Palestrina’s death.

Giovanni Pierluigi Da Palestrina

Tracks:

Kyrie
Gloria
Credo
Sanctus
Agnus Dei
Kyrie
Gloria
Credo
Sanctus
Agnus Dei

Amazon.com

There's a wonderful legend, retold by (among others) Pfitzner's opera Palestrina, attached to the "Pope Marcellus" Mass: the Council of Trent, ground zero of the Counter Reformation, was about to ban all music but chant from the liturgy when Palestrina submitted this Mass, thereby changing the prelates' minds and saving church music. The writing is beautiful enough to deserve such a story: cheerful yet devout, comprehensible but not simplistic, without the complexity and secular borrowings (very prevalent in the preceding decades) that so perturbed the Council. The Missa Papae Marcelli has been recorded by choirs from Westminster Abbey to the Tallis Scholars, yet the Oxford Camerata does itself proud: Jeremy Summerly's reading of the music is reverently sweet, yet he's not afraid to make a joyful noise when appropriate--and the various voices are unusually clear. The equally radiant Missa Aeterna Christi Munera gets a similarly pleasing performance. Amidst serious competition, Summerly's readings of these Masses are among the best available--and, at Naxos's superbudget price, definitely the best value. --Matthew Westphal

Customer Reviews:

Something familiar, something new.......2005-10-19

--Palestrina--
Giovanni Pierluigi de Palestrina is sometimes called the greatest composer of the Roman Catholic church. Born in 1525 near Rome, he spent the better part of his career in service to the church as a choir member, choir master, conductor, composer and school master. He was sought after by many churches, and sometimes his popularity and skill got him into trouble both with his clerical patrons and with fellow musicians. He was offered prestigious positions in Rome and Vienna which were ultimately withdrawn because Palestrina's salary and conditions requirements were too high. He had some influence on the Council of Trent's musical decisions for reform of the Catholic worship practices, and was involved intimately with revising the Gradual and produced a harmonised version of the Latin Hymnal in 1589. He died in 1594.

--Masses--
The first mass presented here is Missa Papae Marcelli. Written in the 1550s, it wasn't published until the next decade. Pope Marcellus was only pope for a few weeks, but managed to endear himself to composers and conductors by insisting upon clarity as the highest of virtues for choristers. There is a joy to this, as Palestrina is definitely in the mode of celebrating the life of Pope Marcellus. This is one of Palestrina's most recorded works.

The second mass, Missa Aeterna Christi Munera is likewise a strong composition, although it is much less known than the first. Palestrina wrote over 100 masses in his lifetime (in addition to a wide range of other pieces), so it is not surprising that there might be some relatively overlooked. This particular mass has a more solemn tone to it, but still soars magnificently, and has no real flaws in composition.

--Oxford Camerata and Jeremy Summerly--
The performance of both of these pieces is superb. Perhaps the better performance belongs to the second mass; the Camerata has twelve singers, who double on the six-voice Missa Papae Marcelli, but are able to triple on the four-voice Missa Aeterna Christi Munera. They play with tempo and expression in new ways. The Oxford Camerata was formed in the early 1990s under the direction of Jeremy Summerly - this disc is their second recording. (Legend has it there was a cement mixer just outside the Dorchester Abbey, and that the recording engineers missed the first session for recording due to car trouble.)

Summerly's direction and selection of material and interpretation is such that it bears watching in the future.

Palestrina's a giant in renaissance counterpoint.......2005-10-14

Beautifully performed CD of 2 beautiful Masses written by G. Palestrina. Worth listening to and adding to album collection. Palestrina definitely is unsurpassed in Renaissance Counterpoint and is rightfully called the Prince of Music.

Outstanding - music of the spheres........2005-10-12

I've sung much renaissance polyphony, especially Palestrina, and this is about as good as recording gets. The musicality of the entire album, the perfect blend of voices (as well as a the utterly exquisite quality of that of the second tenor) and the perfection of the composition are all factors which contribute to something nonetheless mysteriously holy and beautiful about this recording; maybe what the music was really meant to be.

Palestrina's Masses...I love them all..........2004-11-18

I don't think is a good idea to compare composers
from three different musical periods; because of
their different mentalities, different cultures,
and different resources at their disposal...The
Missa Papae Marcelli is of interest because is
one of the earliest works to challange the regulations
in music of the Counter-Reformation; but yet in
other aspects it stays very close to what was expected
of Palestrina...Of special interest of the
Missa Papae Marcelli is the Mass'Gloria....
The Missa Aeterna...is a work that is based
on a motet a procedure that at the time
was a "BIG NO, NO" to the Counter-Reformation
movement...As all of the Palestrina Masses these
works are all full of beauty and serenity...
Oxford Camerata does a wonderful job....

Not just a bargain disc..........2001-03-12

This disc might actually make a good Palestrina sampler, of sorts - at least a good sampler of his masses. The Pope Marcellus Mass is probably his best known mass, and both this mass and the Missa Aeterna Christi Munera are models of elegance and serenity. The latter piece is not recorded very often, so you would be advised to pick up this disc, which contains both of these splendid pieces.

Normally in a review like this I would give some contextual/historical information about the pieces, but Palestrina and his Missa Papae Marcelli probably need little of this. It is often pointed out that this mass was written partly as model for textual intelligibility in polyphonic music; it is, though, even more than that: it is a model for perfection in Renaissance form.

I have three other recordings of the Marcellus Mass - two are by the Tallis scholars (one on the Palestrina 400 collection and the other on another separate recording) and one is by a German Baroque choir that I can't and won't take the time to remember (the recording isn't very good). Of the two T. Scholars recordings, the one on the 400 collection is preferable for its tempo, the other for the better acoustics of the recording venue. Both are fine recordings - typical Tallis Scholars. I haven't heard the Voices of Ascension or Westminster Choir recordings of this mass, but they are probably good.

I would recommend this present recording over the T. Scholars ones, though, for different reasons. First, the acoustics are preferable - there's more resonance in this one. The most importance difference is not really in interpretation (both groups render the music as flowing smoothly and slowly) but in the choral sound. Summerly's choir simply sounds fuller. For all their precision, the Tallis Scholars recordings sound thin - their sound lacks body, compared to the Oxford Camerata, although the former does seem to carry with it, as I said, the singular advantage of linear precision. In any case, the Oxford group sounds less pinched and more full-voiced.

Tracks:

Miserere
Ave Maria For Double Choir
Sicut Lilium I
Praeter Rerum Seriem
Pater Peccavi
Ego Flos Campi
Tota Pulchra Es
Descendi In Hortum Meum
Alma Redemptoris Mater
Salve Regina
Ave Regina Caelorum
Gloria

Tracks:

Media Vita
In Manus Tuas
O Nata Lux
Audivi Vocem
Exaudiat Te Dominus
Ah, Robin
Salve Regina
Kyrie
Gloria
Credo
Sanctus
Agnus Dei

Customer Reviews:

Great choral music CD.......2007-01-26

This CD is excellent - a "must have" for every collection. Beautiful voices, relaxing music.

a voice teacher and early music fan.......2007-01-08

The pieces on these two discs are taken from over fifteen years of recording by the Tallis Scholars, startng with the now-famous recording of Allegri's 'Miserere' from 1980. Allegri lived well into the Baroque era, dying in 1562, Therefore, he did not write the 'Miserere' in renaissance polyphony; and his chordal structure leaned toward the Baroque.
Victoria's 8-part 'Ave Maria' and Palestrina's 'Sicut lilium' are both pieces iln a contemplative mood, the first making direct reference to the Virgin Mary, and the second indirect reference to her via the poetry of the 'Song of Songs'. The remaining selections on Disc l, maintain the consistent, intense sonority of Flemish polyphony.
Disc 2 falls into two parts. The pieces by Sheppard, Tallis,White and Cornysh come from the first half of the sixteenth century and are part of the 'English School' of writing. Here the music is made up of long lines, more notes than syllables, with the emphasis on the part-writing and not the harmonic background.
The second part of Disc 2 is Byrd's five-part Mass, which was written in the 1590's for a recusant Catholic community. Byrd's music has drawn closer to the Flemish style; that is imitative voice parts, largely syllabic in setting with the occasional examples of word-paintings, and the voice parts closer together. But the mood has a different intensity than the writing on Disc one; darker and more questioning. Never was polyphony more passionate than in Byrd's masses,of which the five-part is the crowning achievement.
The members of the Tallis Scholars vary from year to year, and the list of participating singers is included in the accompanying booklet; but it does not tell you which singers are singing each year. That bothered me somewhat because I like to know to whom I am listening specifically. It does mention, however, that the solo group in Allegi's 'Miserere' is Alison Stamp (treble), Michael Chance (countertenor) Jane Armstrong and Julian Walker.
The recording is outstanding in every way. Perfect balance between the voices, perfect emotional investment, flawless dicton and the most beautiful vocal sounds you will ever hear; just Two and One-half hours of pure pleasure!!!!!

Lovely!!!.......2006-06-02

This set of CDs is truly wonderful. I am fond of sacred choral music and purchased the CD mostly to obtain the recording of Gregorio Allegri's "Miserere Mei." This song alone is worth buying the set. I heard it live by an excellent college choir in my hometown and immediately set out to find the best recording of it. Most buyers recommended this recording over the others. (By the way "Miserere Mei: by Gregorio is hard to find.) Additionally the other songs are also so relaxing, flowing, and meditative. I will be honest . . .the Tallis Scholars sing well but not as flawlessly as the Cambridge Singers. You will note that not every consanant is hit in unison, but this is not overly disturbing. (Still that is the only reason for giving four stars instead of five.) The sound is still lovely and the songs gorgeous. In Media Vita is another gorgeous song (first on second CD). If you haven't heard it, I'm sure you'll love the flowing melody!

Beautiful, but a little cold.......2006-02-06

The Tallis Scholars are the zenith of this type of singing, but sometimes they lack the vocal warmth that they probably could achieve if they were guided to do so. Still, this is a great CD, and even better for the 2 CDs of fine and uplifting singing.

The Greatest Hits of a Pioneer Ensemble.......2005-09-27

For years, Tallis Scholars have been quietly revolutionizing our recovery of sacred music. This is their "greatest hits" collection and quite great indeed. The Miserere which begins the set is alone worth the price of the set. The only fault with it is that it is so startling, so obviously genuine, that you will still be hearing it as you play through the rest of the set. The Scholars' ongoing recovery project only proves how integral music is to the human psyche, how essential the sacred is to basic human sanity. And how the severence of the two in the public space and the popular imagination -- the sacred from music -- has severely damaged us all en masse.

Average customer rating:

Agnus Dei music of Inner Harmony
Simply The Best
Wow!
Profound sublimity
Beautiful music

Agnus Dei: Music of Inner Harmony

Manufacturer: Erato
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

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Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

Renaissance (c.1450-1600) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Anthems | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Hymns | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Masses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Motets | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Psalms | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Requiems | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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Agnus Dei II: Music to soothe the soul
O Magnum Mysterium
Barber's Adagio / Munch, Galway, Boston SO Strings
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Gloria: Music of Praise & Inspiration

ASIN: B000005E4J
Release Date: 1997-02-18

Tracks:

Agnus Dei, op.11 - Barber
Cantique de Jean Racine, op.11 - Faure
Kyrie - Palestrina
Ave Verum Corpus K 618 - Mozart
Jesus bleibet meine Freude - Bach
Ave Maria, op.37 No.6 - Choir Of New College Oxford
Lux Aeterna - Choir Of New College Oxford
Totus Tuus - Choir Of New College Oxford
Hear my prayer - Mendelssohn
The Lamb - Tavener
In paradisum - Faure
Miserere mei, Deus - Choir Of New College Oxford

Amazon.com

Beyond this recording's new age packaging and title is a splendid sampling of some of the world's finest choral music, sung by one of the world's outstanding choirs. This "anthology of sacred choral music" spans 400 years and includes such masterpieces as Allegri's Miserere, Bach's "Jesu, joy of man's desiring," and Barber's exquisite Agnus Dei, which is the composer's choral setting of his famous Adagio for Strings. Along the way we also hear Mozart's sublime "Ave verum corpus," Elgar's "Lux aeterna," and the Kyrie from Palestrina's Missa Papae Marcelli. There has been a choir at England's New College, Oxford, since the year 1379, and this impressive line of experience shows in the intelligent, unfaltering, and finely polished performances by today's ensemble of 16 boys and 12 adults. --David Vernier

Customer Reviews:

Agnus Dei music of Inner Harmony.......2007-05-14

Not really my thing but mother in law loved it.

Simply The Best.......2007-02-23

You'll love this music. This is music for all moments of your life

Wow!.......2006-07-08

I'm a long-time listener of all things rock-'n-roll, from Classic rock, to Alternative, and even a little Metal. I first heard this CD while having dinner at a friends house a long time ago, and I loved it. I've always been enchanted with choir music, so I bought this CD. Well, after years of listening to it to help me to unwind in the evening, I somehow misplaced it. So I came to Amazon to order both I and II. Of the two CD's, the first one is still the best, and it still helps me to relax after a long day. The choir show tremendous range in their singing, the assorted instruments are well-played, and I can almost imagine myself sitting in a centuries-old cathedral, enjoying the music and how it rings throughout the cathedral.

Buy it. You won't be disappointed.

Profound sublimity.......2006-02-27

This album offers music that is profoundly moving and sumbline. It takes the listener onto an inner journal of extraordinary emotional depths and heights

Beautiful music.......2006-01-18

The first song I've heard on this CD is "Miserere Mei..." and I loved it the first minute. I've heard it from a friend who likes classical, and I would've never bought this on my own.

All other versions of these songs I've heard since don't compare to the versions on this CD. Maybe because it was my first listen, maybe they're just good.

Average customer rating:

Choral work at it's finest.
Love it
Light and shadows
Cambridge Singers = Quality
American Gramaphone, please reissue this title.

Brother Sun, Sister Moon
Gregorian Chant , William Byrd , John Taverner , Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina , Samuel Scheidt , John Sheppard , Maurice Durufle , Robert White , Cambridge Singers , Gerald Finley , and John Rutter
Manufacturer: American Gramaphone
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Masses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Motets | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Partsongs | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B0000005MF
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Music Of The Morning Rite: a. Alleluia - b. Haec Dies
Music Of The Morning Rite: Easter Sequence
Dum Transisset Sabbatum
Sanctus
Exsultate Deo
a. Easter Acclamations b. Surrexit Christus Hodie
Music Of The Evening Rite: Before The Ending Of The Day
Music Of The Evening Rite: In Pace
Music Of The Evening Rite: Into Thy Hands, O Lord
Music Of The Evening Rite: Ubi Caritas
Music Of The Evening Rite: Keep Me As The Apple Of An Eye And Nunc Dimittisa
Music Of The Evening Rite: O Christ, Who Art The Light And Day
Music Of The Evening Rite: a. We Will Lay Us Down In Peace b. Libera Nos, Salva Nos

Amazon.com

A brief glance at the packaging for this recording might make you think New Age, and indeed this label normally offers recordings in that vein. The disc's cover tells nothing about the music inside--all we see are the ruins of an ancient abbey, the moon in the sky on the front, the sun on the back. But wait. If you get far enough to listen to the recording, you'll find one of the most beautiful and beautifully programmed choral recordings in the catalog. The compositions, organized into the categories "Music of the Morning Rite" and "Music of the Evening Rite," are mostly from 16th- century composers--Byrd, Taverner, Sheppard, White--with a few Gregorian chants and a gorgeous rendition of the 20th-century motet by Duruflé, "Ubi caritas." Conductor/choral music legend John Rutter has assembled a program that's both uplifting and restful; the performance is faultless. One could only complain about the short (39 and a half minutes) playing time. --David Vernier

Customer Reviews:

Choral work at it's finest........2007-06-03

I really enjoyed this work. I was first introduced to this title through American Gramophone's website and was also my first introduction in the works of John Rutter and the Cambridge Singers. You do not have be religious to enjoy this work. I find the music uplifting and very sublime. I have listened to it many times, and I find that my favorite period to play it is in the morning hours. .

I have since purchased many other Rutter titles including "Images of Christ", and more recently "Lighten our Darkness"

Love it.......2007-05-02

13 years ago, I had the tape of brother sun, sister moon and as a teenager and I would play it every night as I slept, I loved it. I dont know what happened to it and I have ever sence been looking for it, and I just baught the CD and am so excited.

Light and shadows.......2003-07-29

Recorded in the Great Hall of University College School, London, the Cambridge Singers under the direction of John Rutter produced a true masterpiece in 'Brother Sun, Sister Moon' in 1988. The title derives from a famous prayer by St. Francis of Assisi, and is inspired by liturgical music from (or derivative of) the Middle Ages and Renaissance polyphony and Gregorian chant. The music is meditative, uplifting, and elegant in simplicity and stunning vocal quality.

--Brother Sun--
The first half of the disc is largely composed of pieces from the liturgical Morning Prayer cycle, concentrating on texts from Easter, the most important of Christian days. From the Alleluia to the Acclamations and Surrexit Christus Hodie (Christ is risen today), the flow from Gregorian Chant to compositions by Byrd, Taverner and Palestrina (giants of this type of music) in increasing energy and glory, as befits both a Morning service (time to wake up!) as well as a celebration of the resurrection of Christ. Perhaps of particular note here is the cantoring of bass Gerald Finley in the Easter Acclamations.

--Sister Moon--
The second half of the disc concentrates on music of the evening; in particular, the Compline service, a service of unwinding and sombre meditation with which monastic communities conclude their days of work and worship. Many churches have reincorporated Compline into a regular cycle of services; some have even done so as a result of exposure to this recording. The music here is softer and less energetic than that of Morning prayer. This includes music from Whyte and Sheppard (also masters of the Medieval-to-Renaissance liturgical polyphony) as well as a brilliant motet by twentieth century composer Duruflé for the Ubi Caritas.

--Liner Notes--
The notes for this recording include the titles and words, in both Latin and English, for each of the pieces recorded here. It has an excerpt from a prayer by St. Francis, and a basic introduction to the music relating it historically and liturgically. One thing conspicuously missing is any biographical information about John Rutter, or any descriptive information about the Cambridge Singers apart from the basic listing of singers.

--John Rutter--
Rutter was born in London and educated at Clare College, Cambridge. This was where his career as a composer, arranger and conductor began. His early work was with groups at King's College Chapel at Cambridge as well as the Bath Choir and Philharmonic Orchestra. He has worked for the BBC providing music for educational series such as 'The Archaeology of the Bible Lands', until in 1979 he began forming the Cambridge Singers, and has continued a remarkable career of performance and recording as their director ever since.

--The Cambridge Singers--
The Cambridge Singers are a mixed choir of voices, many of whom were members of choir of Rutter's college, Clare College, Cambridge. While they specialise in English and Latin liturgical pieces, they have a wide range of recordings that span from modern compositions (including a remarkable requiem by Rutter) to English folk songs of the Middle Ages. For this particular recording, the choir consisted of eleven sopranos, six altos, six tenors, and six basses.

Cambridge Singers = Quality.......2002-05-23

I do love this cd, but tend to play certain tracks as my first love is chant. I play the Victimae Paschali Laudes in the car and sing along - it is so very beautiful that this rendition of this Easter Chant is worth purchasing this cd alone. I love that one track so much, my only criticism of the cd is that I wish they'd centered the entire cd on chant - and I hope they will do one like that in the future because the quality of the voices is stunning.

American Gramaphone, please reissue this title........2000-03-30

I originally obtained this CD through Minnesota Public Radio. The first time I listened to the Ubi Caritus, I was moved to tears. The CD became my favorite to play at Christmas and other times. I gave the CD to a friend who has moved to Oregon, deeply regret that it is no longer in production.

Tracks:

Assumpta Est Maria In Caelum
Assumpta Est Maria In Caelum
Kyrie
Gloria
Credo
Sanctus & Benedictus
Agnus Dei I & II
Sicut Lilium Inter Spinas I
Kyrie
Gloria
Credo
Sanctus & Benedictus
Agnus Dei I

Tracks:

Lamentations For Holy Saturday
Kyrie
Gloria
Credo
Sanctus & Benedictus
Agnus Dei I & II
Kyrie
Gloria
Credo
Sanctus & Benedictus
Agnus Dei I & II

Customer Reviews:

*** Transportively Enchanting & Sublime.......2006-10-29

The music here is pure glory and highly recommended. The voices ascend harmonically & beam with the hearts of a thousand churches, so you can almost smell the frankincense and feel the penetration of the great rose windows from this meditative collection. Sample online and get a taste of the harmonies yourself.

Tallis Scholars sing Palestrina.......2006-08-14

Tallis Scholars sing Palestrina~ Gregorian Chant is a sublime recording. Palestrina was and is an amazing composer of choral music and without a doubt a genius. The Tallis Scholars are able to sing these very difficult and ardeous compositions with a splendid ability that is rarely if ever heard. Being a very devout person Palestrinas music speaks directly to my heart, mind and my soul. Palestrinas lyrics (if one dare call them this) are written with such devout nature that I honestly feel my heart leap with joy and exaltation. This particular recording has spared no expenses and the book-let is nothing short of a work of art and one could describe it as a stroke of pure brilliance. The painting on the outside is some of the best art ever produced and the cds themselves have also be adorned with this splendid and breath taking art. The liner notes are very well written and I dare say this is one of the best classical albums that I have heard in quite some time. Highly recommended indeed.

Lovely Recordings of Great Mass Settings.......2006-02-16

Good performances of Palestrina's polyphonically complex choral masterpieces are difficult. One false note and the entire piece fails. In this beautiful set of recordings, the Tallis Scholars focus on a few of Palestrina's 107 Mass settings, and they never miss: they sing these masterworks with passion, clarity, and accuracy. Any quibbles about the authenticity of the use of sopranos are precisely that. A good introduction to one of the West's greatest composers and essential for any lover of great sacred music or Renaissance classics.

The great master of Renaissance counterpoint sung by 20th century masters of gorgeous contrapuntal singing.......2005-10-28

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina is considered by many to be the greatest composer of liturgical music of all time. Born in obscurity, his birth year is debated, but it was sometime between 1514 and 1526 and died world famous in Rome in 1594. Palestrina was not a priest. He married and had two sons. In the 1570s he lost a brother, his wife, and two sons in three separate epidemics of plague. He then considered becoming a priest, but changed his mind and married a wealthy widow, his church position did not pay very well (do they ever?), and continued with his composition.

The style of composition he developed took the countrapuntal methods of the Renaissance with a personal style that emphasized smooth voice leading and the beauty of sound from the voices. In many ways, the Baroque style, founded in Italy around the time of Palestrina's death, was a reaction against the powerful cultural presence Palestrina's music had become. I understand the desire of the Baroque composers to express the words more directly, but to say that Palestrina did not express the meaning of the words in his music is a gross oversimplification.

When I hear these settings of the ordinary of the Mass I am still shocked at their beauty and transcendence. Every now and again someone tells me that they find Palestrina's music boring and I am dumbfounded. What could they possibly be hearing? My conclusion is that they are trying to listen for functional harmony supporting a single melody because that is the kind of music they know. Yet, that listening technique will not only cheat you of Palestrina and all of Renaissance music, but of most of Bach, Handel, and their contemporaries as well. While Bach does appear to have functional harmony, and at times he does, his real glory is his matchless counterpoint. For that matter, all the great "classical" composers through Brahms were also great writers of counterpoint, but it is at a level of remove from the surface after Bach.

The Tallis Scholars deserve their fame. Their sound is amazingly beautiful, their intonation is perfection, and their clarity a delight. Any issues of performance practice "inaccuracies" are just silly. The whole point of musical performance is to come up with something that convinces and delights. Scholarship is supposed to support that end. In the end, an overly fussy approach to performance cheats one of everything because if a performance doesn't please its hearers and performers it will disappear back to the shelves with all the other unperformed music. I like hearing this music performed with boy trebles, but I also like hearing it performed by skilled women who take a careful approach to they way this music is sung. In the end, it is how it sounds, not who makes the sounds.

If you do not know the music of Palestrina, these disks are a marvelous introduction. He was important enough to become a shorthand for an entire era of music and became a model for counterpoint for centuries of composers.

Anachronistic but amazing..........2005-07-26

This 2 CD release is a combination of previous Tallis Scholars discs; alongside Palestrina's most famous work - the Missa Papae Marcelli - is another free Mass (Brevis), 2 parody Masses and their respective motets (Assumpta est Maria; Sicut lilium), and also his setting of the Lamentations for Holy Saturday, Lesson 3 (6vv).

Regarding historical accuracy, there are clearly issues with this recording, most obviously in the use of sopranos (as opposed to the original treble or castrato voices). In addition, recent Palestrina scholarship has convincingly shown that one-per-part performance was likely, and indeed almost certain in polyphony for Holy Week like the Lamentations (the Tallis Scholars' 2-per-part allocation, though, is closer than large treble choirs...). The solo singers also appear to have added lavish ornaments to relatively plain lines, and an organ or sackbut sometimes accompanied the singers (see Graham Dixon, 'The Performance of Palestrina', Early Music [November 1994], 667-75).

Of course, none of this would concern Peter Phillips. He has always had a sour, suspicious attitude to 'authenticity', being primarily concerned with creating 'beautiful sounds' (see his interview in Bernard Sherman, Inside Early Music [Oxford, 1997] and his article 'Beyond Authenticity' in Knighton & Fallows (eds.), Companion to Medieval & Renaissance Music [Oxford, 1997])

But is it really surprising that multiple-voiced, Notentreu interpretations of Palestrina dominate when recordings of this calibre are produced? The accuracy of intonation, blending and indeed 'beautiful sound' achieved by this ensemble are matched by only a handful of others; certainly no treble choir comes even close. It is significant that the first disc was awarded the 'Gramophone' Early Music Award for 1991 (when originally released) by musicologists like David Fallows and John Milsom who are normally anxious to point out historical inaccuracies. What could better demonstrate how wonderful these performances really are?

'Authentic' Palestrina...? Try:
1. Andrew Parrott's "Musica della Cappella Sistina" recording of the Stabat Mater, O beata et benedicta & Dum complerentur (1-per-part with added ornaments) on Virgin Veritas.
2. Sergio Vartolo's "Missa Sine Nomine / Missa L'homme Arme" on Naxos (1-per-part with organ accompaniment).

Great Choral Classics from King's Choir of King's College, Cambridge

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Great Choral Classics from King's Choir of King's College, Cambridge

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Psalms of David from Kings Choir of Kings College, Cambridge, Vol. 1
Allegri: Miserere; Palestrina / Willcocks, Kings College Choir
The Psalms of David - Choir of King's College, Cambridge - Sir David Willcocks, Sir Philip Ledger
Abide With Me
Evensong from King's College - Cleobury

ASIN: B000007OTQ
Release Date: 1998-06-09

Tracks:

Miserere
Stabat Mater
Spem In alium
Sancte Deus
Ave verum corpus
Gloria in D Major, RV 589: Gloria in excelsis deo
Gloria in D Major, RV 589: Et in terra pax
Gloria in D Major, RV 589: Laudamus te
Gloria in D Major, RV 589: Gratias agimus tibi
Gloria in D Major, RV 589: Propter magnam gloriam
Gloria in D Major, RV 589: Domine Deus
Gloria in D Major, RV 589: Domine Fili unigenite
Gloria in D Major, RV 589: Domine Deus, Agnus Dei
Gloria in D Major, RV 589: Qui tollis peccata mundi
Gloria in D Major, RV 589: Qui sedes
Gloria in D Major, RV 589: Quoniam tu solus Sanctus
Gloria in D Major, RV 589: Cum Sancto Spiritu

Tracks:

This Is The Record Of John
Motet: Jesu, Priceless Treasure, BWV 227: Chorale: Jesu, Priceless Treasure
Motet: Jesu, Priceless Treasure, BWV 227: Chorus: So There Is Now No Condemnation
Motet: Jesu, Priceless Treasure, BWV 227: Chorale: In Thine Arm I Rest Me
Motet: Jesu, Priceless Treasure, BWV 227: Trio: Thus Then, The Law Of The Spirit Of Life In Christ Abiding
Motet: Jesu, Priceless Treasure, BWV 227: Chorus: Death, I Do Not Fear Thee
Motet: Jesu, Priceless Treasure, BWV 227: Chorus: Ye Are Not Of The Flesh
Motet: Jesu, Priceless Treasure, BWV 227: Chorale: Hence With Earthly Treasure
Motet: Jesu, Priceless Treasure, BWV 227: Trio: If Therefore Christ Abide In You
Motet: Jesu, Priceless Treasure, BWV 227: Chorale: Fare Thee Weel That Errest
Motet: Jesu, Priceless Treasure, BWV 227: Chorus: If By His Spirit
Motet: Jesu, Priceless Treasure, BWV 227: Chorale: Hence All Fears And Sadness
The Anthems For The Coronation Of King George II And Queen Caroline, HWV 258-261: Zadok The Priest
The Anthems For The Coronation Of King George II And Queen Caroline, HWV 258-261: My Heart Is Inditing
The Anthems For The Coronation Of King George II And Queen Caroline, HWV 258-261: Kings' Daughters
The Anthems For The Coronation Of King George II And Queen Caroline, HWV 258-261: Upon They Right Hand
The Anthems For The Coronation Of King George II And Queen Caroline, HWV 258-261: Kings Shall Be Thy Nursing Fathers
The Anthems For The Coronation Of King George II And Queen Caroline, HWV 258-261: Let Thy Hand Be Strengthened
The Anthems For The Coronation Of King George II And Queen Caroline, HWV 258-261: Let Justice And Judgement
The Anthems For The Coronation Of King George II And Queen Caroline, HWV 258-261: Alleluia
The Anthems For The Coronation Of King George II And Queen Caroline, HWV 258-261: The King Shall Rejoice
The Anthems For The Coronation Of King George II And Queen Caroline, HWV 258-261: Exceeding Glad Shall He Be
The Anthems For The Coronation Of King George II And Queen Caroline, HWV 258-261: Glory And Great Worship... Thou Hast Prevented Him
The Anthems For The Coronation Of King George II And Queen Caroline, HWV 258-261: Alleluia

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Transcendant spiritual beauty
More Gardiner than "Renaissance", but nonetheless undeniably vivid...

Pilgrimage to Santiago

Manufacturer: Soli Deo Gloria
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Music for Compline
Peter Lieberson: Neruda Songs
Bolivian Baroque Vol. 2 [Hybrid SACD]
Cantatas, Vol. 7
Combattimento (W/Dvd)

ASIN: B000IFRPUA
Release Date: 2006-11-14

Tracks:

Dum Pater Familias
Congaudeant Catholici
O Virgo Splendens
Parce Mihi Domine
Alma Perpetui
Jesu Rex Admirabilis
Rite Majorem
O Quam Gloriosum/Missa O Quam Gloriosum
Kyrie
Psallat Chorus Caelestium
Gloria
O Lux Et Decus Hispaniae
Sanctus
Benedictus
O Venerande Christi
Agnus Dei
Nesciens Mater
O Maria Vernans Rosa
Vadam Et Circuibo
Justorum Animae
Sanctus

Customer Reviews:

Transcendant spiritual beauty.......2007-05-19

After arriving at the end of this astonishing CD, any critical objectivity was swept away by the sheer transcendent quality of these performances. One need not be religious to understand something out of the ordinary is happening here. This was recorded in London in between performances in France and Spain where the choir hiked from town to town and performed the program in abbeys and churches, ending with a performance in the Cathedral of Santiago de Campostela.Surely the memories of those churches, their extraordinary spiritual qualities and acoustics, remained in the singer's ears and hearts during this recording session. So much of it is so beautiful, with the motet 'O Maria vernans rosa' by Clemens non papa being for me the highlight. It is hard to imagine anything more transcendant than the soaring treble lines and prismatic harmonies in that music.All that is missing are the candles and the incense. Glorious!

More Gardiner than "Renaissance", but nonetheless undeniably vivid..........2007-01-22

In his first non-Bach recording for the Monteverdi Choir's own 'Soli deo gloria' label, John Eliot Gardiner presents a sublime programme of works from the 12th-16th centuries inspired by the renowned Santiago pilgrim route. If the CD does not quite surpass the Monteverdi Choir's 2005 recording of similar music ('Santiago a cappella', Universal/Emarcy 0028947630104), it is still by any account a magnificent achievement. The performances exhibit both impeccable ensemble and near-faultless intonation, and are beautifully encaptured within a warm and reverberant acoustic. In addition, Gardiner frequently exploits a slow 'tactus' to great effect, resulting in readings which are spiritually charged and spacious (perhaps most obviously in Morales' ubiquitous 'Parce mihi Domine', Mouton's 'Nesciens mater' and Clemens 'O Maria vernans rosa').

If there can be any criticism of the disc, it is that, at times, the towering force of Gardiner's musical personality is perhaps a little too dominant. In his defence, Gardiner makes no pretence that this is anything but a highly idiosyncratic account, a fact as obvious from the presentation (note the CD cover and booklet notes featuring personal reflections from himself [pp.1-2] and members of the choir [pp.34-5]) as from the performances themselves. A number of the interpretations, for example, rely on a rhetorical approach to dynamics and tempo arguably more appropriate to late 16th/early 17th century secular music than 'prima prattica' (and earlier) sacred music, and whilst this musicological liberty is often effective, sometimes it is not. The declamatory 'forte' outbursts of Dufay's 'Rite majorem' are indicative of this over-emphasis on text; similarly the rather organic tempo in Victoria's motet 'O quam gloriosum' sounds a little mannered in places and seems to contradict what is known about tempo in Renaissance music (see below *). Additionally, the choice of forces (see below **) and occasional mannerisms (such as the clipped 'Hosanna' in the Sanctus and Benedictus of Victoria's Mass) are powerfully suggestive of the mixed-voice Cambridge choral tradition of Rutter, Marlow and Brown (Gardiner himself having studied there). And incidentally, why is the Credo from Victoria's Mass silently omitted...?!

If the overall result, then, is really more a personal invitation to Gardiner's insight than an accurate representation of the selected works, this does not detract from the profound and ethereal experience which is created upon listening to this marvellous release. Highly recommended.

(*) It would be dangerous to interpret sources too literally, but it surely significant that contemporary theorists almost consistently relate the tactus to mediums with a regular factor, most commonly the heartbeat (e.g. Ramis de Pareia [1482], Adam of Fulda [1490], etc...), but also breathing (Gaffurius, 1496), walking (Buchner c.1520), etc.
(**) Performance of Iberian polyphony with instruments - rather than 'a cappella' (as here) - is well documented, and Santiago Cathedral itself boasted 4 salaried ministriles from 1539. In Rome too, where Victoria's Mass was published (1583), instrumental participation was common. The English jesuit Gregory Martin, describing music in Roman churches c.1576-8, for example, notes: "...with the Organs a childes voice shriller and louder than the instrument, tuneable with every pipe: Among the quyre, Cornet or Sagbut, or such like above the voices..." (Roma Sancta, 1581, p.96)

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Lamentazioni per la Settimana Santa

Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi Fr.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Frank Martin: Le vin herbé
Strauss: Josephslegende, Op.63 [Hybrid SACD]
Schutz: Opus Ultimum - Schwanengesang
Orlando de Lassus: Penitential Psalms
Jordi Savall, Dominique Fernandez: Lachrimae Caravaggio

ASIN: B000MG1YCU
Release Date: 2007-05-08

Tracks:

Incipit Lamentatio Ieremiae Prophetae
Vau. Et Egressus Est A Filia Sion
Toccata Quarta
Jod. Manum Suam
Heu Mihi Domine, Passeggiato Per La Viola
De Lamentatione Leremiae Prophetae
Lames. Matribus Suis Dixerunt
Toccata Quinta
De Lamentatione Leremiae Prophetae
Toccata Arpeggiate
Aleph. Quomodo Obscratum Ets Aurum
Incipit Oratio Leremiae Prophetae

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Startlingly familiar music
Ertherial Music
12AX7 Anyone?
5 months after buying, I still listen every day
Very recommendable!

Allegri: Miserere
Alison Stamp , and Tallis Scholars
Manufacturer: Gimell UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Essential Tallis Scholars
Allegri: Miserere; Palestrina / Willcocks, Kings College Choir
Tallis Scholars sing Palestrina
Christmas With the Tallis Scholars
The Tallis Scholars Sing Thomas Tallis

ASIN: B000059GLW
Release Date: 2001-04-10

Tracks:

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

Amazon.com

Here's a wonderful introduction to Renaissance choral music, with two tried-and-true repertory standards and the Mundy, a gorgeously sensuous example of a lesser-known mid-16th-century work, whose complex polyphonic strands are rendered with compelling involvement by the Tallis Scholars. These performances were among the group's earliest recordings and helped catapult them into the forefront of specialists in this demanding repertoire. The Allegri became a favorite back in the 1970s, a sort of choral equivalent of Albinoni's Adagio, in which repetition serves as the driving force. The Tallis Scholars give it welcome variety through spatial placement in a large church and their colorful singing. Palestrina's Missa Papae Marcelli is one of that great composer's finest works. Its mastery of polyphony while clarifying the text is said to have convinced the Church to withhold its impending ban on polyphonic church music. The group sounds larger than its 21 members because of the acoustics, the clear diction of the Scholars, and the power of their singing, always transparent and involved. They use female sopranos instead of boys' voices, so there's more heft and color than we often hear from early-music groups. Vivid engineering makes the CD even more attractive. --Dan Davis

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Startlingly familiar music.......2006-11-14

This is haunting music that most people may not remember specifically but when they hear it again will recall it immediately. Mozart as a child was instantly in awe of this music. He tried to get his hands on the score but it was hidden away as a secret. So Mozart listened and copied. That is how this music first became public. It is not often heard today but if and when you hear it you will be struck as if by lightning. This recording is clear as a bell. The Tallis Scholars are an amazing group. I saw them live in 2006 and note that this recording was made in 1980. Both the recording and their live performance demonstrate amazing scholarship and attention to detail both in performance practice and acoustics.

Ertherial Music.......2006-11-10

Unlike other reviewers of the Miserere on this site, I have neither the credentials nor the eloquence to prove why you should purchase this recording for your collection. I can only say that you will be thrilled by the beauty and depth of the music. When I've been stressed out, I have only to listen for a few moments before I begin to feel my breathing slow and my shoulders relax. I've had this music playing quietly in the background along with other selections of jazz and/or new age during an evening, and invariably a guest who hasn't heard it will lift their head and turn their ear toward the music. I've even had friends ask me to get the CD cover so they can take down the information. Listen to some of the sample strings on this site and you will want to hear the Miserere in its entirety.

12AX7 Anyone?.......2006-07-19

This is perhaps the most holographic recording I've ever heard. We're talking STEREO here, not hokey multi-channel nonsense creating the sense of "ambiance" by chachaphonally tossing unrelated channels of sound to reflect from every surface possible.

This is the real thing.

Two eyes & your CNS 'resolves' depth by combining & extrapolating 'cues' that we see as distance. So is this true of high end audio recordings where the engineers were fully cognizant of how we hear 'dimension'.

Two ears & 1 brain. All that we require to hear depth. In fact, all we CAN use to hear depth for anything beyond this simple yet perfect 'design' corrupts our experience such that we no longer hear depth or placement of musicians but rather we hear chachaphony. Sometimes a pleasent & fun caca-phoney but caca-phoney nonetheless.

A true stereo recording takes the cues just as two ears would and if played back through TWO channels with the design of temporal accuracy at the fore, we will heard TRUE spatial placement of the room in which the recording was made.

In this recording, imagine yourself sitting about 6' in front of a pair of speakers with say, 20' or more BEHIND the speakers. This recording has 3 choirs. One in the fore, one centrally placed & one way in the distance. If your stereo can resolve space-time with any truism, you will hear NOTHING from the speakers (or rather, it seems that way). The first choir will be between the speakers. The 2nd, 6 feet BEHIND the speakers.The last choir is heard as if they are OUTSIDE. So far back they penetrate your walls.

This is what high end audio is about. It eschews confusing multi-channel, only recently did it even embrace digital audio AND most importantly, we love TUBES. Tubed amps/preamps & CD players have none of the coloration of their Silicon counterparts & are to this day, the most linear amplification device known to man (Linearity with NO correction like feedback & it's awful pollution of harmonics & destruction of slew & rise times, try placing a chart of curves of an op-amp or bipolar transistor vs. a triode, not even close).

Pick up an old Dynaco Stereo-70 & a pair of mini-speakers using soft domes & you're 3/4 of the way to the 'underground' truth. A microsociety that lives for music & it's ACCURATE reproduction. For there is no greater joy than when the musicians virtually stand in front of you. You will not hear this with multichannel or even transistor gear, no metal drivers or any other unnatural materials.

A showcase of original RCA masters now abound on many streaming audio websites. Some now play at high enough bitrates to support glorious fidelity.

Navigate through the eary 60s recordings when these discs were recorded with TUBES! I've just recently heard the Tebaldi Tosca on a 1957 RCA. Breathtaking reality as performers walk & sing, on & off stage. Spooky real. But remember to LISTEN & NOT download for MP3 is a sonic disaster with no intent on improving! Compression=depression in the high end audio. "Save yourself Elizabeth, stay away!"

Only through simplicity can we see art & only through a vacuum can music pass without coloration. For what can add color less than nothing?!

5 months after buying, I still listen every day.......2006-04-16

I don't listen to the whole thng every day, but I definitely listen to the Miserere or Missa Papae Marcelli. Allegri's Miserere does get slightly repetitive, but if all the recordings I have I like this one the best. The two choirs sound like they're very far apart, one choir sounding like it's very far from the microphone. Generally this recording is slower than the rest (but not the slowest). The Mundy piece is one on this disc that I listen to the least. Not that it isn't any good, it just isn't a classic like the stuff by Allegri & Palestrina. It starts out very quiet & calm, and over 19 minutes other voices gradually join in one by one & builds to a crescendo for the last ~3mins. The high point by far on this disc is Palestrina's Missa Papae Marcelli. In contrast to some other composers (like, say, Victoria) whose music is "hot" or "passionate", Palestrina's is "cool", "serene" & "effortless". Mozart's got nothing on Palestrina! Ever since the first time I heard this mass for the first time I have always thought that it is one of the most perfect pieces of music ever composed, & this is probably the best recording out there. The kyrie starts out the mass slightly jubilant & "truimphant"; the gloria is processional; the credo is faster than the rest & slightly intense, especially at the end (though nothing like Victoria). The climax for me is the sanctus, which... well, is the climax! I always get the feeling that everything has building up to that point when I listen. The first agnus dei is somewhat of a continuation of the sanctus/benedictus & when the second agnus dei starts I can tell it's starting to wrap up... which makes me sad :p It's sort of the same feeling you get when you have to say goodbye to someone who's moving away or something lol. All in all, one of my favourite discs ever, and I still listen to parts of it every day.

Very recommendable!.......2005-11-15

This is the only CD by The Tallis Scholars in my collection that I really like; and I have a lot, Josquin, Isaac, de Rore... I think the lot sounds rather antiseptic, clinical; i.e. not the sound, but the performance. In many cases it can be wise to check out other performers than the most famous ones. (The perhaps not so famous Huelgas Ensemble has a very nice Missa Praeter Rerum Seriem.)
Anyway, this early performance is really great!
I agree with the reviewer Brendan, that Allegri's Miserere not is the most interesting piece here. The repetitions make it appealing like modern pop music - repetitions go for ecstasy. Repetitons may also give a meditative effect. The gem for entertaining is in fact the least famous Mundy's Vox patris caelestis, which has a real build-up to an emotional peak. Glorious!
The famous Palestrina-mass sounds very nice on this performance.
Very, very recommendable!

Beyond Chant: Mysteries Of The Renaissance

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Great literature... but thats about it
Essential listening.
Captivating!
Lofty music
Slow down Maestro !

Beyond Chant: Mysteries Of The Renaissance

Manufacturer: Delos Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Voices Of Ascension: From Chant To Renaissance
The Greatest Choral Music of Palestrina: Prince of Music
Mysteries Beyond: Songs and Chants in Praise of Mary
Duruflé: Requiem Op.9/Messe Cum Jubilo,Op.11
Josquin Desprez: Motets & Chansons

ASIN: B0000006ZN
Release Date: 1994-05-23

Tracks:

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 Est
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 Gloriosum
Selig sind die Toten
Heu Nos Miseros
Exaltabo Te
O Sing Joyfully
O Magnum Mysterium
Laudate Nomen
Cantate Domino

Amazon.com

Go right to the first track and prepare for one of the most masterful and stylish performances of Palestrina that you'll ever hear. It's not flashy music nor is the singing especially virtuosic, but the unified phrasing, ideal balance among sections, and overall ensemble technique is impressive, and Palestrina's little motet simply opens and displays itself like a beautiful flower. The rest of the program, which includes a variety of beautiful flowers from composers such as Josquin, Sweelinck, and Tallis, maintains the same standard. Anyone looking for an introduction to Renaissance sacred choral music will find much here to encourage further exploration--standards like Byrd's "Ave verum corpus" and Victoria's "O magnum mysterium"-- and lesser known tiny masterpieces such as Victoria's "Jesu, dulcis memoria." The Voices of Ascension ranks with the world's finest choirs, and this recording reflects both the highest standard of choral singing and the highest standard of choral composition during the Renaissance. --David Vernier

Customer Reviews:

Great literature... but thats about it.......2007-06-17

This cd was mildly dissapointing, to say the least. The literature is fantastic. Some of the greats are featured on here with some of their best works. No doubt a great taste of the Renaissance, especially for someone new to it. However, I'm sorry to say that the performance is second-rate, at best. Dennis Keene apparently is either unaware, or just simply understudied when it comes to the Renaissance. He shows an incredible lack of messa di voce, which was what drove the counterpoint of the Renaissance. His interpretations rob this music of its deeply personal purpose. I would suggest the Hilliard Ensemble over any ensemble for Renaissance literature, and find it dissapointing that so many people praise such emotionless, understudied Renaissance ensembels such as the Voices of Ascension, the Tallis Scholars, and the Oxford Camerata, just to name a few. Very good literature... But always pick the Hilliard Ensemble or Anthony Rooley's Consort of Musike when you have the option. It seems like Paul Hillier and Anthony Rooley are the only two true Renaissance scholars currently conducting ensembles.

Essential listening........2007-03-05

This was my first CD of Renaissance choral music, as it undoubtably has been for a great many people. It offers the best possible introduction to the genre for 2 main reasons: 1. No other CD of Renaissance choral music contains such a varied cross-section of early to late Renaissance sacred music styles. 2. The performance and recording quality are fabulous.

Keene uses a variety of different voicings and numbers of singers according to the needs of each particular piece, sometimes with only 2 on a part. The ensemble heard on this recording is a select professional core of The Voices Of Ascension, one of the best choral groups in the country. The voices are all very rich and resonant, and the intonation through the entire CD is unquestionably on par with the best in the world. The singing is, for the most part, completelly vibratoless and extremely smooth, which creates a gorgeous purity that allows this music to shine. However, it does become strident at times, which may put off some choral conductors who are strongly against straight-tone singing.

Of particularly high quality and beauty are the Viadana "Exultate Justi", Byrd's "Ave Verum Corpus", Tallis' "O Sacrum Convivium", and the Victoria and Sweelinck pieces. Another extraordinary track is Leonardo Leo's "Heu Nos Miseros", a late Baroque piece included because of its influence from earlier styles. It is a 9 part double choir piece full of extravigant dissonances and emotion, performed breathtakingly.

Captivating!.......2006-04-12

I was christened as a choral music fan once, as a college student, I heard the music of the Cambridge Singers. Inundated with classical music for years, how could I never have heard such music?! It was as if my musical senses were born anew: for it was with the same awe as a child encountering the world for the first time, that I discovered this novel and fascinating world of a cappella choral music. There were landmark discoveries along the way: Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge; Concordia Choir; St. Olaf Choir; the Dale Warland Singers; the Kansas City Chorale; Kantorei; the West Coast Mennonite Chamber Singers...and (as you expected!) I must end with the Voices of Ascension. The clarity of their pure voices can only be paralleled by the Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge. Chant haters, do not avoid this CD - you will find no chants here! Chants hold absolutely NO intrigue for me and I cannot endure listening to them for long periods of time. By contrast, this music, aptly named "Beyond Chant," truly does uncover hidden musical treasures of the Renaissance for those who would ordinarily avoid such music. The intricately woven a cappella harmonies are captivating and satisfying. I highly recommend this CD to all choral music fans.

Lofty music.......2005-10-14

Some of the earliest pieces of Christian music are the various kinds of chant. These hearken back to synagogue singing; there were various kinds of chant, including Gregorian, Old Roman, Mozarabic, Cistercian and Anglican chant. These tend toward the monophonic, singing with a single 'tune' or lone. They are generally without regular beats or set meters. However, in the Renaissance, monophonic chant grew into a polyphonic form, and this is one of the most glorious eras of music. (My shelves at home are filled with CDs of this sort.) Composers in this era include many represented on this disc - Palestrina, Desprez, Victoria, Lassus, Byrd, Gibbons and Tallis were some of the leading lights of the time. Lesser known but still glorious include Tye, Viadana, Sweelinck, Hassler, Batten and Schutz.

One of the interesting features of this disc is that it includes three pieces by Sweelinck, two psalm settings and 'Hodie Christus Natus Est'. (Sweelinck is very under-represented in recording and performance today). Some pieces are very well known - Byrd's 'Ave Verum Corpus' is perhaps one of the most familiar pieces from this period, as is Palestrina's 'Exultate Deo'. This is a collection that draws from the breadth of the Western Christian tradition of music from this time, with composers from Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, France, Germany, and Spain.

The composers here wrote liturgical music for Masses and other worship services, as well as other pieces - motets and other kinds of new music. This disc represents music that is two or three steps removed from plainsong and basic forms of chant - some are quite a bit distant. Viadana's composition for 'Exultate Justi', for example, was actually composed later, and despite being done in a more Renaissance style, shows decided influences of the Baroque (this might also be part of the performance of the Voices of the Ascension that gives this impression).

The Voices of Ascension, under the direction of Dennis Keene, grew out of the choir of the Church of the Ascension in New York City. Many of the singers are active soloists in addition to being part of this group (whose numbers vary, but often around 40). Keene is a conductor, organist and teacher (not an uncommon combination). Trained at Juilliard, he has led the Voices of Ascension through many outstanding recordings and performances.

This is a performance that is definitely uplifting, and a good collection of music in its breadth to introduce the glories of Renaissance polyphony to those who with little exposure to it. The recording quality is very good, and the choir is quite full and well suited for the music. Some have commented upon the tempo, but this was not a concern for me, and did not stand out as unusual or a problem upon listening (indeed, there were a few points at which I might wish for it to be a bit faster, rather than slower).

A collection that soars!

Slow down Maestro !.......2004-01-04

Another reviewer writing about another album by Dennis Keene wrote:

"Yet the performance is not the slowly flowing honey usually served up by, say, the Tallis Scholars (as good as that is). Particularly in the Gloria and Credo of the Mass, Dennis Keene deliberately de-emphasizes the rise and fall of the different voices' lines in favor of a more naturally speech-like declamation of the long Latin texts. This means a surprisingly fast tempo--and some rhythmic spring and syncopation one might not expect in Palestrina. Some (not all) of the motets get a similar treatment: it works well in joyous pieces like the Pentecost motet Dum complerentur, but listeners might miss that melodic rise and fall in some of the slower works. The singers of Voices of Ascension are quite skillful, and the slight edge in their tone helps make the different melodies unusually audible. Very worthwhile, but not your father's Palestrina."

As a matter of fact, I used to like this album quite much although it was certainly not my favorite. That was until I listened to Robert shaw's "O Magnum Mysterium", which is amedley of Renaissance, negro spiritual, Russian and Western contemporary religious music. I was struck by Shaw's profoundly spiritual interpretation of the pieces by Victoria and Tallis that are also recorded on "Beyond Chant".

From then on I could no longer listen to this cd without feeling feeling increasingly dissatisfied. I tried to find a precise reason and not being a music specialist I was quite at a loss until I found the review above. Maybe the quick tempo is the key to my dislike.

I definitely feel that Dennis Keene and his singers do not have the depth of the Robert Shaw Festival Singers although the booklet accompanying the cd claims that the audience was spellbound by their performance, which took place in a cathedral in New York.

You may have a more gratifying experience if you buy a cd by the Tallis Scholars, Robert Shaw ("O Magnum Mysterium"), Pomerium(see their wonderful "Book of Hours") or even by the French countertenors and baritones of the Organum Ensemble ("Missa Pange Lingua").

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