Palestrina: Motets & Madrigals

1. Osculetur me, motet for 5 voices (from Motets Book IV from Canticis canticorum)
Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
with Rogers Covey-Crump , Lynne Dawson , Michael George , Hilliard Ensemble , David James , John Potter

2. Osculetur me, motet for 5 voices (from Motets Book IV from Canticis canticorum)
Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
with Rogers Covey-Crump , Lynne Dawson , Michael George , Hilliard Ensemble , David James , John Potter

3. Trahe me post te, motet for 5 voices (from Motets Book IV from Canticis canticorum)
Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
with Rogers Covey-Crump , Lynne Dawson , Michael George , Hilliard Ensemble , David James , John Potter

4. Nigra sum, motet for 5 voices (from Motets Book IV from Canticis canticorum)
Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
with Rogers Covey-Crump , Lynne Dawson , Michael George , Hilliard Ensemble , David James , John Potter

5. Vineam meam, motet for 5 voices (from Motets Book IV from Canticis canticorum)
Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
with Rogers Covey-Crump , Lynne Dawson , Michael George , Hilliard Ensemble , David James , John Potter

6. Si ignoras te, motet for 5 voices (from Motets Book IV from Canticis canticorum)
Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
with Rogers Covey-Crump , Lynne Dawson , Michael George , Hilliard Ensemble , David James , John Potter

7. Pulchrae sunt genea, motet for 5 voices (from Motets Book IV from Canticis canticorum)
Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
with Rogers Covey-Crump , Lynne Dawson , Michael George , Hilliard Ensemble , David James , John Potter

8. Fasciculus myrrhae, motet for 5 voices (from Motets Book IV from Canticis canticorum)
Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
with Rogers Covey-Crump , Lynne Dawson , Michael George , Hilliard Ensemble , David James , John Potter

9. Ecce tu pulcher es, motet for 5 voices (from Motets Book IV from Canticis canticorum)
Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
with Rogers Covey-Crump , Lynne Dawson , Michael George , Hilliard Ensemble , David James , John Potter

10. Tota pulchra es, motet for 5 voices (from Motets Book IV from Canticis canticorum)
Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
with Rogers Covey-Crump , Lynne Dawson , Michael George , Hilliard Ensemble , David James , John Potter

11. Vulnerasti cor meum, motet for 5 voices (from Motets Book IV from Canticis canticorum)
Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
with Rogers Covey-Crump , Lynne Dawson , Michael George , Hilliard Ensemble , David James , John Potter

12. Sicut lilium inter spinas, motet for 5 voices (from Motets Book IV from Canticis canticorum)
Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
with Rogers Covey-Crump , Lynne Dawson , Michael George , Hilliard Ensemble , David James , John Potter

13. Introduxit me rex, motet for 5 voices (from Motets Book IV from Canticis canticorum)
Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
with Rogers Covey-Crump , Lynne Dawson , Michael George , Hilliard Ensemble , David James , John Potter

14. Laeva eius, motet for 5 voices (from Motets Book IV from Canticis canticorum)
Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
with Rogers Covey-Crump , Lynne Dawson , Michael George , Hilliard Ensemble , David James , John Potter

15. Vox dilecti mei, motet for 5 voices (from Motets Book IV from Canticis canticorum)
Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
with Rogers Covey-Crump , Lynne Dawson , Michael George , Hilliard Ensemble , David James , John Potter

16. Surge propera amica formosa mea, motet for 5 voices (from Motets Book IV from Canticis canticorum)
Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
with Rogers Covey-Crump , Lynne Dawson , Michael George , Hilliard Ensemble , David James , John Potter

17. Canticis canticorum (Motets Book IV)
Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
with Rogers Covey-Crump , Lynne Dawson , Michael George , Hilliard Ensemble , David James , John Potter

18. Dilectus meus mihi, motet for 5 voices (from Motets Book IV from Canticis canticorum)
Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
with Rogers Covey-Crump , Lynne Dawson , Michael George , Hilliard Ensemble , David James , John Potter

19. Surgam et circuibo, motet for 5 voices (from Motets Book IV from Canticis canticorum)
Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
with Rogers Covey-Crump , Lynne Dawson , Michael George , Hilliard Ensemble , David James , John Potter

20. Adiuro vos filiae, motet for 4 voices (from Motets Book IV from Canticus Canticorum)
Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
with Paul Hillier , Rogers Covey-Crump , Michael George , Hilliard Ensemble , David James , John Potter

21. Caput eius aurum, motet for 5 voices (from Motets Book IV from Canticis canticorum)
Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
with Paul Hillier , Rogers Covey-Crump , Michael George , Hilliard Ensemble , David James , John Potter

22. Dilectus meus descendit, motet for 5 voices (from Motets Book IV from Canticis canticorum)
Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
with Paul Hillier , Rogers Covey-Crump , Michael George , Hilliard Ensemble , David James , John Potter

23. Pulchra es amica mea, motet for 5 voices (from Motets Book IV from Canticis canticorum)
Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
with Paul Hillier , Rogers Covey-Crump , Michael George , Hilliard Ensemble , David James , John Potter

24. Canticis canticorum (Motets Book IV)
Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
with Paul Hillier , Rogers Covey-Crump , Gillian Fisher , Hilliard Ensemble , David James , John Potter

25. Descendi in hortum, motet for 5 voices (from Motets Book IV from Canticis canticorum)
Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
with Paul Hillier , Rogers Covey-Crump , Gillian Fisher , Hilliard Ensemble , David James , John Potter

26. Quam pulchri sunt gressus tui, motet for 5 voices (from Motets Book IV from Canticis canticorum)
Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
with Paul Hillier , Lynne Dawson , Gillian Fisher , Hilliard Ensemble , David James , John Potter

27. Duo ubera tua, motet for 5 voices (from Motets Book IV from Canticis canticorum)
Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
with Paul Hillier , Rogers Covey-Crump , Gillian Fisher , Hilliard Ensemble , David James , John Potter

28. Quam pulchra es, motet for 5 voices (from Motets Book IV from Canticis canticorum)
Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
with Paul Hillier , Michael Chance , Rogers Covey-Crump , Gillian Fisher , Hilliard Ensemble , David James

29. Guttur tuum, motet for 5 voices (from Motets Book IV from Canticis canticorum)
Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
with Paul Hillier , Michael Chance , Rogers Covey-Crump , Gillian Fisher , Hilliard Ensemble , David James

30. Veni, veni dilecte mi, motet for 5 voices (from Motets Book IV from Canticis canticorum)
Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
with Paul Hillier , Rogers Covey-Crump , Lynne Dawson , Hilliard Ensemble , David James , John Potter

31. Le Vergine, motet cycle for 5 voices (from Madrigals Book I) Vergine bella che di sol vestita
Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
with Paul Hillier , Rogers Covey-Crump , Lynne Dawson , Hilliard Ensemble , David James , John Potter

32. Le Vergine, motet cycle for 5 voices (from Madrigals Book I) Vergine saggia e del bel numer'una
Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
with Paul Hillier , Rogers Covey-Crump , Lynne Dawson , Hilliard Ensemble , David James , John Potter

33. Le Vergine, motet cycle for 5 voices (from Madrigals Book I) Vergine pura d'ogni part'intiera
Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
with Paul Hillier , Rogers Covey-Crump , Michael George , Hilliard Ensemble , David James , John Potter

34. Le Vergine, motet cycle for 5 voices (from Madrigals Book I) Vergine santa d'ognigratia piena
Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
with Paul Hillier , Rogers Covey-Crump , Michael George , Hilliard Ensemble , David James , John Potter

35. Le Vergine, motet cycle for 5 voices (from Madrigals Book I) Vergine sol'al mondo senza esempio
Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
with Paul Hillier , Rogers Covey-Crump , Lynne Dawson , Hilliard Ensemble , David James , John Potter

36. Le Vergine, motet cycle for 5 voices (from Madrigals Book I) Vergine chiara e stabile in eterno
Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
with Paul Hillier , Rogers Covey-Crump , Michael George , Hilliard Ensemble , David James , John Potter

37. Le Vergine, motet cycle for 5 voices (from Madrigals Book I) Vergine quante lagrim'ho gia'sparte
Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
with Paul Hillier , Rogers Covey-Crump , Lynne Dawson , Hilliard Ensemble , David James , John Potter

38. Le Vergine, motet cycle for 5 voices (from Madrigals Book I) Vergine tal e terra e post'ha in doglia
Composed by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina
with Paul Hillier , Rogers Covey-Crump , Michael George , Hilliard Ensemble , David James , John Potter

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.

Chanticleer: Magnificat (A Capella Works by Josquin, Palestrina, Titov, Victoria, and Others)

Average customer rating:

Beautiful with excellent sound engineering and singing
Beautiful performances and some nice surprises
Heavenly
Marvelous sound
Gorgeous choral voices surrounding you

Chanticleer: Magnificat (A Capella Works by Josquin, Palestrina, Titov, Victoria, and Others)
Chanticleer , William Cornysh , John Taverner , Claudio Monteverdi , Vasily Polikarpovich Titov , Tomas Luis de Victoria , Vassili Polikarpovich Titov , Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina , Josquin Desprez , and Marianne Kach
Manufacturer: Teldec
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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

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

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

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

Mysteria
Sing We Christmas
Chanticleer: A Portrait
Our American Journey
Wondrous Love: A World Folk Song Collection

ASIN: B00004SDN3
Release Date: 2000-07-11

Tracks:

Ave Maria
Ave Maria, Mater Dei
Magnificat
Stabat Virgo Maria
Maria, Quid Ploras
The Angel Cried Out
Regina Caeli Laetare
Alma Redemptoris Mater
Ave Maris Stella
O Thou Joy Of All The Sorrowful
Ave Regina Caelorum A 8
Ave Maria A 4
Salve Regina A 5

Amazon.com

In the wake of its previous, Grammy-winning disc of contemporary madrigals (Colors of Love), the all-male a cappella ensemble that calls itself Chanticleer--in homage to Chaucer's Canterbury Tales --comes home to roost in this theme album of early music. After all, this is the territory that Chanticleer first staked out when the group banded together in 1978, and the return is most welcome. Magnificat offers manifold rewards, from the sensitive, imaginative culling of its program to the warmth and lithe interweaving of vocal layers in its execution (vividly recorded in splendid 20/24-bit process at the Skywalker Ranch)--not to mention the capsule music history that it traces. Like depictions of the Annunciation in medieval and Renaissance paintings, musical settings of texts that are centered on Mary abound during this period. Chanticleer's anthology includes familiar gems (the hymn "Ave Maris Stella"), but the group is delightfully unpredictable in many of its choices: examples of the polychoral sacred music of Russian Vasily Titov, contrafactum reworkings of two Monteverdi madrigals to Marian texts, and a full Magnificat setting by Tudor master John Taverner. The latter gives a microcosm of Chanticleer's vocal versatility, presenting stern, unadorned plainsong side-by-side with melodies that blossom like tendrils. Or listen to the ensemble's dynamic control, from the exultant climaxes of the Titov choral concerto to the achingly beautiful, held diminuendo on the second Monteverdi piece. Most impressive of all is that Chanticleer manages to avoid the bane of a cappella groups--a bland, homogenized sameness of sound--through its subtle variations in color and thoughtful musicality. A real treasure. --Thomas May

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful with excellent sound engineering and singing.......2007-06-27

I got what I wanted ---some absolutely beautiful compositions with exquiste voices.
Should be a grammy nominee

Beautiful performances and some nice surprises.......2005-06-17

This is a nice anthology of Renaissance music encompassing key composers of both the Prima and Seconda Prattica, including one or two less known names. The uniting theme is that of they are all in praise of the Virgin Mary. Most of these works are old war horses such as the Josquin Ave Maria which is beautifully performed. Their tempo for the Josquin is similar to that of the spacious approach of the Hilliard Ensemble, and unless you like this music performed at breakneck speed you will likely find this performance perfectly satisfying. If you are interested in an anthology of Renaissance music then this is a great choice, however for those of us with a strong interest in music of this period what really makes this essential listening is the two extraordinary pieces by Vasily Titov.

Titov composed at the time of Tsar Peter the Great's modernisation drive in Russia. He brought in composers from the West and Titov's music represents a marriage of the Italian compositional styles of the Seconda Prattica with the traditions of the Russian Orthodox Church. Like the grand architecture of St Petersburgs, and the Hermitage this is an fascinating mixture of Western influences with distinctly Russian ones. The twelve part polychoral writings have some of the dark solemnity of Russian Orthodox music while clearly being heavily influenced by the likes of Monteverdi, Gabrielli, Lassus and Palestrina. Perhaps a more authentically Russian approach to this music would have given far more prominence to the basses, but this still has trumendous impact. It makes it strange that there is so much interest in composers such as Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov, Moussorsky, Shostakovich and the like but the Early Music movement have yet to catch up with Eastern Europe - Titov is very easily their equal and I would welcome more substantial recordings devoted to exploring this neglected composer.

This is a great recording recommended both to a general audience as well as to lovers of Renaissance music alike. The recorded sound is natural and full bodied. You can pick out individual voices in the chorus without them being drowned into an amorphous porridge of sound - a sign of a good recording. Still, I have heard wider sound staging and a wider dynamic range, so for all its virtues this is almost - but not quite - audiophile quality. Clearly a SACD format DSD recording would have been preferable.

Heavenly.......2003-01-04

This is one of my first two DVD-audio discs. Some tracks are recorded from the audience perspective, with the choir across the front and cathedral ambience all around, and those are beautiful, but I gotta say I love the, "choir-around the room" recordings a little more. Track 3 in particular has the choir "doubled" with parts recorded seperately with the choir at the rear of the cathedral, a then they moved 'em all down front, and stuck the tracks together through the magic of digital editing. I don't have a DVD-audio player yet so I'm just listening to the compressed Dolby 5.1 tracks. Can't imagine it sounding any better, though. Get this disc. Seriously, do it so you can go to heaven!

Marvelous sound.......2002-03-08

This recording wraps you up in a gorgeous sonority, and I'm only listening in stereo. I can't wait to hear it when I fill out my speaker ensemble.

Gorgeous choral voices surrounding you.......2002-02-03

I hesitated to buy this disc until a friend told me he knew one of the members of Chanticleer; then again I also had nothing like it in my collection. The sound is rich and resonant. You should know it is recorded realistically, in a variety of soundfields, i.e. sometimes there is a processional from front to rear, sometimes choruses on upper left/right, or from all around you, depending on the material. If that sounds disconcerting be assured it isn't. This is a beautiful and soothing disc with a nice variety to it, and the sound is wonderful.

Average customer rating:

*** Transportively Enchanting & Sublime
Tallis Scholars sing Palestrina
Lovely Recordings of Great Mass Settings
The great master of Renaissance counterpoint sung by 20th century masters of gorgeous contrapuntal singing
Anachronistic but amazing...

Tallis Scholars sing Palestrina

Manufacturer: Gimell UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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

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

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

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
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The Essential Tallis Scholars
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Palestrina: Missa Papae Marcelli, Missa Aeterna

ASIN: B0007DBXHO
Release Date: 2005-03-08

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).

Beyond Chant: Mysteries Of The Renaissance

Average customer rating:

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

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

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

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

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

Psalms | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

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.

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.

John Rutter trains his singers to sing without vibrato, and blends their voices with such balance that they come together as a single instrument. The selection on this CD is perfect to demonstrate the clarity and richness of this ensemble. If American Gramaphone does reissue this title, I will be first in line to purchase it.

The Greatest Choral Music of Palestrina: Prince of Music
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Palestrina Ascends

Palestrina unequalled

Truly Inspiring

Palestrina Resurrected

A Beautiful and Inspiring Performance

The Greatest Choral Music of Palestrina: Prince of Music

Manufacturer: Delos Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Sacred & Religious | Renaissance (c.1450-1600) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
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General | International | Styles | Music
General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Masses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Motets | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Renaissance (c.1450-1600) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Beyond Chant: Mysteries Of The Renaissance

Palestrina: Missa Papae Marcelli, Missa Aeterna

Voices Of Ascension: From Chant To Renaissance

Palestrina: Missa Pro Defunctis/Motets

Tallis Scholars sing Palestrina

ASIN: B00000J86H
Release Date: 1999-05-25

Tracks:

Missa Papae Marcelli: Kyrie eleison
Missa Papae Marcelli: Gloria
Missa Papae Marcelli: Credo
Missa Papae Marcelli: Sanctus
Missa Papae Marcelli: Benedictus
Missa Papae Marcelli (6-Part): Agnus Dei
Motets And Offertories: Secundum multitudinem
Motets And Offertories: Tu es Petrus
Motets And Offertories: Dum complerentur
Motets And Offertories: O Domine Jesu Christe
Motets And Offertories: Super flumina Babilonis
Motets And Offertories: Canite tuba
Motets And Offertories: Rorate Coeli
Motets And Offertories: Peccantem me quotidie
Missa Papae Marcelli: Agnus Dei 2
Alma Redemptoris Mater
Sicut cervus
Sitivit anima mea

Amazon.com essential recording

Voices of Ascension's Palestrina disc is something of a "greatest hits" collection: a dozen of the prolific composer's best-known motets--including several, such as Super flumina Babilonis, Tu es Petrus, and Sicut cervus, that many listeners will have sung in church or college choirs--and the legendary "Pope Marcellus" Mass. 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. --Matthew Westphal

Customer Reviews:

Palestrina Ascends.......2007-03-14

I am an active choral singer. I have been in countless ensembles, this interpretation of Palestrina (the greatest word painter of all time) is truly breathetaking. It's worth every penny and I also recommend the beyond chant albums.

Palestrina unequalled.......2005-10-14

Beautifully sung CD with amazing selections. Palestrina was the real master of medieval/renaissance counterpoint and everyone else who came after him tried their best to imitate him. The way he writes for voices is surreal...you will see why he is known as The Prince of Music.

Truly Inspiring.......2004-04-23

The music itself is truly awsome and the lyrics are soo deep. It's not just absolutely great to listen to, but a real trip to meditate on the meaning of the songs. Palestrina had a real reverence for God and his music just creates a sense of awe. Palestrina was a genius at creating varied vocal parts that are each interesting and beautiful to listen to. The different parts (bases, tenors, altos, and sopranos) have their own little melody and each part has its glory moment. Finaly when Palestrina wants to make and important statement he puts the parts into usison to spell out the most musically satisfying chords I've ever heard. And the voices themselves....ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!! They are absolutely beautiful! Denis Keene is an amazing director; he never lets the beautiful chanting drag to much so that it keeps moving. However, on the slow meditative songs, Keene takes his time and lets the beauty of the voices create this mood of solemnity. Let me give you a sample of the lyrics of track #14. In Latin: "Peccantem me quotidie et non me poenitentem, timor mortis conturbat me, quia in inferno nulla est redemptio. Miserere mei Deus, et salva me." Which translates to: "I have been sinning every day, without repentence. [And Now] the fear of death torments me, because in the underworld there is no redemption. Have mercy on me, Lord, and save me." This music is some of the most powerful music that I have heard as a Christian and really inspires me.

Palestrina Resurrected.......2001-07-09

Folks, I'm a long-time fan of the Ascension Choir, but Palestrina has always been at the top of my list of "Most Overrated Composers of All Time" (along with the 20th-Century's greatest ..., Igor Stravinsky) - until I broke down & bought Dennis Keene's exquisitely prepared "Prince of Music" CD. By restoring the pulse to the music and banishing that ponderous, thick choral sound traditionally associated with it, Keene brings Palestrina's art to life again and makes it sound completely NEW. It's like seeing rays of light suddenly streaming through an old stained-glass window. It's enough to restore one's faith, in the power of art, if nothing else. The choral sound is gorgeously balanced, strangely light and varied, always moving forward, a truly mystical euphony. I'm not an habitual writer of fan letters, but after several weeks of living with these performances, I just had to write this review. Mr. Keene, if by some chance you're reading this, thanks for a rare and wonderful pleasure: true musical grace captured on CD, there whenever my heart & mind long for it...

A Beautiful and Inspiring Performance.......1999-12-22

This is another great performance by Voices of Ascension, conducted by Dennis Keene. It has to be difficult to give a fresh interpretation to the MISSA PAPAE MARCELLI, a famous work that had been recorded many times, with excellent results. Dennis Keene chooses to use faster tempi, giving a different approach from the traditional solemnity that is typical in the interpretation of this repertoire. This change in tempo works very well, especially in the Gloria and Credo. The album also has other motets and offertories from Palestrina. TU ES PETRUS, DUM COMPLEMENTUR and CANITE TUBA are particularly notable, they sound positively joyful and exultant. The voices has a fresh and integrated sound. And it is a pleasure to have three bonus tracks from previous CDs, specially ALMA REDEMPTORIS MATER that is performed with great tenderness. It is obvious that they love the piece very much. The Renaissance repertoire fits the group like a glove. The performances of Voices of Ascension combine technical virtousity with deep interiority.

Voices Of Ascension: From Chant To Renaissance

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The best early choral music recording I've heard!

Voices Of Ascension: From Chant To Renaissance
Peter Stewart , English Anonymous , William Byrd , Gregorian Chant , Guillaume Dufay , Richard Farrant , Hildegard of Bingen , Marc' Antonio Ingegneri , Heinrich Isaac , Josquin Desprez , Antonio Lotti , Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina , Thomas Tallis , Thomas Weelkes , Dennis Keene , Kathy Theil , Susanne Peck , Alexandra Montano , Jeffrey Johnson , Neil Farrell , Thom Baker , and Voices Of Ascension
Manufacturer: Delos Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

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

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

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Beyond Chant: Mysteries Of The 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
Voices of Angels

ASIN: B0000006ZX
Release Date: 2002-01-08

Tracks:

Hildegard of Bingen: O virga ac diadema
Palestrina: Sitivit anima mea
Byrd: Justorum animae
Isaac: Sanctus
Josquin: Ave Christe
Dufay: Alma Redmptoris Mater
Byrd: Rejoice, rejoice
(chant): Kyrie eleison
Palestrina: Surge illuminare
(chant): Sanctus
Tallis: In ieiunio et fletu
Palestrina: Hodie Christus Natus Est
Byrd: Sing joyfully
Farrant: Lord, for thy tender mercy's sake
Hildegard of Bingen: Ave generosa
Byrd: Miserere mei, Deus
(anonymous): Rejoice in the Lord alway - Anonymous
(chant): Ave Verum Corpus
(chant): Agnus Dei
Lotti: Crucifixus
Ingegneri: Tenebrae factae sunt
Palestrina: Ascendo ad Patrem
Weelkes: Hosanna to the Son of David
Weelkes: Alleluia, I heard a voice

Customer Reviews:

The best early choral music recording I've heard!.......1999-07-25

This is a stunning recording, including well-known and not-so-well-known works.

Music of the Westminster Cathedral Choir

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Stupendous majesty and awe
A Definitive Collection

Music of the Westminster Cathedral Choir

Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Music of St. Paul's Cathedral
Christmas Carols
Elgar: Sacred Choral Music
Panis angelicus: Favourite Motets from Westminster Cathedral
Choral Evensong: King's College Choir, Cambridge; Stephen Cleobury

ASIN: B00000DLY7
Release Date: 1998-11-10

Tracks:

Great Is The Lord, Op. 67
Sanctus And Agnus Dei
Omnes gentes, plaudit manibus: Omnes gentes, plaudite manibus
Super flumina Babylonis
O sacrum convivium
Sanctus
Deus, Deus meus
Ave verum corpus
Agnus Dei
Ave verum corpus
Hei mihi, Domine
Nunc dimittis
Ave Maria, Op. 23, No. 2
Magnificat For Double Choir, Op. 164

Customer Reviews:

Stupendous majesty and awe.......2007-03-21

Westminster Cathedral Choir is one of the finest Catholic Choirs if not in the UK. Anyone who has never visited the building would be blown away by the sheer size of it with a long nave and fine Willis Organ facing the West end position. This collection of delights are a delight for any listener who appreciates the old masters to the more contemporary. The Britten is a revelation and the longest work is the double magnificat by Charles Stanford. Notice how the Choir stay perfectly in tune on the note and never tired of such a work which is unaccompanied. A real treat.

A Definitive Collection.......1999-09-28

This disc is ideal for anyone who is curious about the Roman Catholic Cathedral just down the road from Westminster Abbey. It features music from all ages, all of which is brilliantly sung. Of course, since it covers such a broad range of styles, it is what I like to call a "buffet" CD- there's always a firm favourite item, rubbing proverbial shoulders with something less appealing. For instance, I am very taken by the Panufnik work "Deus meus es tu" but find such items as the Palestrina quite dull (although other works from that period such as the Byrd "Ave verum" are most arresting). On the whole, this disc is the definitive "voice" of Westminster Cathedral Choir, and it will be interesting to see what happens when director James O'Donnell takes over at Westminster Abbey in the new year. A broad mix of music that is good value for money.

Allegri: Miserere; Palestrina / Willcocks, Kings College Choir

Average customer rating:

religious and content
I'm not religious,or anything,but this choir's AMAZING!!!
Definitive Recording of the Allegri Miserere
A brilliantly clear recording - you can hear the echos.
likely the best recording

Allegri: Miserere; Palestrina / Willcocks, Kings College Choir

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Essential Tallis Scholars

ASIN: B00001IVQY
Release Date: 1999-09-14

Tracks:

Miserere
Stabat Mater
Hodie Beata Virgo Maria
Senex puerum portabat
Magnificat a 8
Litaniae de Beata virgine Maria

Customer Reviews:

religious and content.......2004-10-06

In a brief retort to the reviewer from Bakersfield, I do rather wish that you might refrain from refering to matters of religion, litergy, and "ritual" as being "stupid." Obviously, it meant something to Allegri. I'm not angry, but I am a bit vexed that you might say such things about something that is the very center of my life. I dare say others might have been similarly hurt by your remarks.

Regarding the Misere, I've heard some say that this is one of the greatest choral pieces ever written and others say that it was only at the level of something that Mozart could have written at the age of 5, pointing to the repeating stanzas,etc. In point of fact, there is that rumor that it was he who transcribed the composition as an adolecent. As a musican, I can tell you that everything that is written is always based on what already exists. Music is a progression. I would say it is more likely that this piece stuck with Mozart as inspiration. Mozart is known for pieces with simple but beautiful melodic lines, which the Miserere's is quite gorgeous and simple in it's own right--but fantastic enough to raise the hair on the back of your neck. To those who fault the repetition, Allegri was quite right to follow it. When Psalms are sung--which the Miserere is Psalm 51--it is usual for a particular line to be chosen as a refrain of sorts and repeated intermitently every verse or every other verse. This tradition is maintained in churches of various traditions to this day--and, I'm guessing, in synagogues as well. (Psalms are understood to be songs attributed to King David.)

As for the relative simplicity of this piece, one must remember that at the time it was written, this was the cutting edge. It sounds simple to us, but that's because we live in a post Wagner and Stravinski age. Keep in mind that it wasn't so long before this piece was written that they only had the tenor and duplum lines. But really, none of that even matters. This piece was written as a sacrifice of work to God, and "God is the simplest of all." Further, I think that the piece compliments the subject matter of the Psalm beautifully. This Psalm is about sin and feeling repentence. It's a simple subject that is filled with very complex emotions and grace. I think that the grace comes through very clearly here.

As for the quality of the recording, I don't think that anybody can argue that King's College Choir isn't pretty hard to beat. I have heard of a recording that might rival this one where well trained male and female singers are used. Maybe one day, I'll know enough to comment on that recording.

I'm not religious,or anything,but this choir's AMAZING!!!.......2004-01-18

Okay I'll break it down for you.I don't believe in religion,and that mean's any of them,but it seem's like the only time you can enjoy an amazing choir like this one,that just happens to be my personal favorite,is when it has to do with religion.I mean,can't people just like choir's for the sake of liking choir's,without it having to be religious,and stuff.For example if anyone ever see's me at King's college,I'm not there for any stupid rituals or anything,keep in mind that's only if they even do that kind of stuff.I'm there for the sole purpose of hearing this choir.I mean they have so many layer's when they sing,that it's just amazing.With beautiful female high's,that are pretty much the best that I've ever heard,plus equally amazing male vocal's,singing the lower notes,but still,I'd have to say their biggest strength is when they seemingly go off in totally different direction's vocally,with both group's of males,and females,and still manage to weave it together into like a very tight quilt.I highly recommend this choir,over all the rest of them,and also,if you just like choir's without the religious stuff,then maybe you'd like something simular,but heavier,with speed,and distorted guitar's,and not to mention great musical talent,you should probably try something like Epic power metal band's,like Therion,Rhapsody,Blind Guardian,and maybe even the group's Dargaard,and Nightwish...

Definitive Recording of the Allegri Miserere.......2002-05-16

This recording of the Allegri Misere is one of the most beautiful that I've ever heard, or indeed hope to hear. It is absolutely amazing.

A brilliantly clear recording - you can hear the echos........2001-10-27

I love Palestrina, but most of all I love the Allegri Miserere.

I bought the CD to replace an earlier version (performed by the St.John's College Choir)and I was really quite delighted.

The first surprise was to hear the Allegri piece in English. It's good; very good. Not as good as it is in Latin, but still fits the music well. The quality of this recording is breathtaking. You can genuinely sense the atmosphere of the recording space ... the voices simply fade away to nothing in the heights of the building. And the voices you hear seem like the voices of angels.

Similarly, the Palestrina pieces are exceptionally well performed and produce.

However, the real gem (and it's a diamond) is the Allegri. If ever there was a piece of music that can soothe ruffled brows it's this. Let the boys' voices life you to heaven like the soft, gentle wings of angels. Come home stressed, make a cup of hot chocolate, close the curtains, dim the lights and let the sound soothe you.

likely the best recording.......2001-04-22

The story of Allegri's "Miserere" Mass has been told time and again, but warrants one more telling. Allegri was commissioned by then Pope Urban VIII to write this piece to be sung exclusively in the Sistine Shapel during Holy Week. This has been the case every year since 1638. The piece itself was written between 1630-38. On Wednesday and Good Friday during Holy Week, this Mass would be sung after 26 candles were extinguished, leaving a solitary one burning. This tradition holds true to this day.

The Mass was to be performed only in the Sistine Chapel, and up until Mozart's famous visit to the Chapel in 1770, only 3 written copies of the Mass were known to exist. Anyone else who copied it was either excommunicated, killed, or both. Mozart heard the Mass on that Wednesday, would write the Mass from momory that evening, then hear it again on Good Friday to correct a few errors. He was done at that point, and the piece was returned to Vienna, where it could be shared with the world. (This is a very abbreviated version of a fascinating story)

Thanks to Mozart, we can relish in the brilliance of Allegri's Mass, and this 1963 version is arguably the finest recording of it. The solo is maturely handled by treble Roy Goodman, and is central to the success of the recording. The re-mastering of this classic recording only enhances its beauty, wonderfully bringing out its delicate intricaces.

Tracks:

Taedet animam meam
Introitus
Kyrie
Domine quando veneris
Graduale
Libera me Domine
Tractus
Ad Dominum cum tribularer clamavi
Sequentia
Offertorium
Peccantem me quotidie
Sanctus - Benedictus
Heu mihi Domine
Agnus Dei
Communio
Libera me Domine

Amazon.com

Assuming his patronage has not yet been assigned, St. Gerold should be considered the patron saint of echo. The Monastery of St. Gerold, in which this collection was recorded, adds a solid second of sonic life--and, as a result, extended reflection--to everything sung by the members of the esteemed Hilliard Ensemble. When the quartet of male vocalists join in unison on a brief "Kyrie," the sanctum's heavenly reverberation mirrors their vocal line like a geometrically precise hall of mirrors. And when the group's members (countertenor, two tenors, and baritone) move into the tentative intricacies of early polyphonic composition, light is shed on the venture's complexity. Not only must the singers balance each other's tone and timing, they must take into consideration the amplification and delay of the music's traditional performance space. The Hilliards have recorded several discs of Palestrina and music of this period (early 16th century). This one has in its favor the presence of settings of related texts by another composer, Tomás Luis de Victoria (two decades Palestrina's junior). Comparing the two helps in the familiarization of music the quiet beauty of which can be mistaken for homogeneity only by a casual listener. The selections--drawn from each composer's respective settings of the Requiem or parts of the Office for the Dead--are interspersed with plainsong chants from the Graduale Romanum, through which the disc attempts to reconstruct the original context in which these pieces by Palestrina and Victoria would have been heard. --Marc Weidenbaum

Customer Reviews:

One of the finest of all recordings by the Hilliard Ensemble.......2005-07-23

Of the many recordings by the Hilliard Ensemble few that I recall have been as deeply memorable as this one. Usually I must confess to preferring other composers of the Renaissance but when Palestrina is played like he is here resistance becomes futile. Of course the Victoria sounds wonderful too but it is the Palestrina here that really got under my skin. In fact I can scarcely think of any recordings of music by Palestrina that I have found as deeply affecting and memorable as the motets recorded here. The whole recording is conceived as a liturgical reconstruction of an Office for the Dead with chant sections from the Graduale Romanum from Toul in France being used as an example of typical post-Council of Trent reforms.

The coverslip notes are also very good and thorough. The majority of it is written authoritatively in English although there is an untranslated section in German. The German notes by Uwe Schweikert, entitled 'Listen with the Ears of the Heart', is basically a history of the origins of the Requiem Mass from early Romanesque origins through Ockeghem and all the way onwards to Mozart and Verdi. I must say the description of the Latin Requiem as once having been a musical 'Gesamtkunstwerk' (sic) is a bit over-the-top! Schweikert concludes with a brief background to the musical careers of Palestrina and Victoria. The description of Palestrina is however particularly memorable: "The principle of this style is the minutely woven, extremely discreet compositional calculation on all levels of the musical structure." Victoria is characterised as a typical Spanish Counter-Reformation mystic. I like the point that in the post-Council of Trent period of reformation, both composers make full use of "expressive, highly melismatically formed Gregorian chant melodies" which "tie the score of Palestrina and Victoria together". So if you don't read German that's basically what the text says - thank goodness the English and German notes don't contradict each other. Don't laugh - this is exactly what happens on a Deutsche Gramophon issue I own.

For some reason published reviews of this recording are scant and how it managed to slip through almost unnoticed without winning any deserved awards is beyond me but David Vernier somehow managed to get a copy for review on Classicstoday online. His conclusions were:

"The Hilliards once again have proven that as interpreters of early vocal music, they are uniquely qualified. This is communication on the highest level, both among the group members and with an ever appreciative and satisfied audience."

He gave it a 10/10 rating for performance/recording with the comment that "you will hear music and singing that's as close to the disc's title, In Paradisum, as you will get on earth".

The excellent recorded sound coupled with some of the finest Palestrina and Victoria I have ever heard combine for an unforgettable recording that every lover of Renaissance polyphony will want to hear.

Vintage Hilliard Ensemble.......2004-02-12

This is a very special recording. I have a large collection of recordings of Renaissance music, but few are as breathtaking and touching as this one. Even by the exalted standards of this great vocal quartet, it must be counted a triumph.

One often hears the music of Palestrina and Victoria referred to as the "grand style" of Renaissance music: measured, big, and slightly impersonal. Not here. Here it is intimate, immensely moving, and seems to be a living thing. The ensemble singing is so perfect you can almost hear the singers listening to one another, as one voice after another ventures out into the darkness, only to be met by another. And rather than marching on to their preordained destinations, they seem to feel one another's presence. The attention and responsiveness of the singers is dazzling.

There is, in fact, an element of tentativeness in these interpretations, as though the music is being improvised and negotiated on the spot. I hear, above all, a sense of discovery: discovery of the simple beauty of voices sounding together in harmony.

The austere, intimate beauty of the polyphonic pieces is only enhanced by having them interpolate between sections of Gregorian chant. And, let it be said, even the chant sections are rendered with great care and feeling.

Though I think this one of the greatest recordings of the past decade, it seems to have passed quietly below the radar screen of award competitions. Perhaps it is just as well; this music will find its listeners. The Penguin Guide complains about the atmosphere of "doom and gloom", which is an embarrassing misapprehension on their part. The voices emerge from the darkness, true enough, and that impression is uncannily portrayed. They are singing a funeral rite, true enough, and they would be remiss if they did not bring to the music an element of sadness. But the result is poignant and luminous. This recording is one of the great glories of recorded sound.

I'm torn by this recording.......2000-06-10

As usual, a few words on the music is in order. The pieces sung are of the highest quality - the Requiems of Palestrina and Victoria are among the best ever written and are pinnacles of Renaissance art (and all art for that matter). Also, the chant lends an appropriate sense of worship to the rest of the pieces. The Hilliard Ensemble is one of my favorite early music groups. Their tone quality, depth, warmth, and balance are excellent. Nowhere is their skill better displayed than in the immaculately sung Taedet anima mea on this recording. It is taken much more slowly than by other groups, is sung in the original, untransposed pitch, and of course the aforementioned qualities of the ensemble's singing shine through. The quality of the music sung and the quality of the singing are not in question here. So why am I torn? Well I'll explain. Victoria's Requiem mass is scored for six voices, and the Libera Me, recorded here is not an exception - the scoring is for six voices (I checked - but please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, which I don't think I am). Palestrina's Requiem is scored for 5 voices (and I haven't checked, but the Libera Me should be as well unless a different voicing is adopted for that section). The Hilliard Ensemble, though, is made up of four singers. The notes do not mention, and my somewhat experienced ear does not hear, additional voices in the above mentioned sections (once again I could be wrong). The only conclusion that I can come the ensemble simply left out parts which they did not have the voices to sing. That decision is hard for me to reconcile on an artistic level, and as a listener I cannot enjoy the bare sound of the harmony which results from their being stripped of some parts. Another objection I have is one I've never had to make before. The liner notes contain, instead of one section of notes translated into multiple languages, various DIFFERENT notes in English and German. There is a section in English, followed by a German section which does not say the same thing as the previous English one, then another English section, and that's it. I don't know much German but it's obvious that the text represented is not the same as the English. Furthermore, the notes contain some quotations from various sources, many of which are not in English and are not accompanied by English translations. I can't think of any reason that this random, haphazrd approach was taken. I would very much like to know what the German section and the French quotations say. Anyway, that anomaly does not detract from the importance of this recording. There is much excellent singing here, despite some strange and even worrisome phenomena. Recommended...

Mystery and Detachment.......2000-06-06

Here we have unadorned beauty shorn of self-conscious and extrovert notions of performance and virtuosity. The result is music imbued with a sense of mystery and detachment from the world. The Hilliard Ensemble provides an exquisite reading of the plainsong melodies of the Requiem. They alternate these with simple imitative polyphonic settings of responsory texts from the Office of the Dead or the Burial Service. The acoustics of the monastery of St Gerold provide a wondrous balance of focussed sound and upholstered tone, along with a lingering echo. One cannot help but to fall in love with such high loveliness. The recording opens with a haunting rendition of Victoria's 4-part "Taedet animam meam". For these few minutes alone, it is worth owning the CD. Few recordings manage to convey the quiet beauty and power of a large section of Renaissance music which may, at first sight, not seem to be much on paper. This recording equals, and in some instances surpasses, the ethereal sound of the 1987 Tallis Scholars recording of Victoria's Requiem. I have only one problem. The blurb by Ivan Moody requires a response: even Renaissance sacred music has beauty and value which demand an anthropocentric, "secular" appreciation. It is rather tedious to have experts with anachronistic liturgical axes to grind!

Take me to Europe...quick..........2000-05-21

The French music of Palestrina and Victoria continues to be some of the most beautiful and music from the 17th century. Based on themes of absolution and redemption, IN PARADISUM shows the close relationship between chant and vocal polyphony in liturgical music during a time of continuous compositional flux. Set largely on texts from the Graduale Romanum (1627), the formidable Hilliard Ensemble presents this music with a delicate sense of authority and control. Combining plain chant with song, the ensemble explores the similarities of these styles on one recording. These two composers, under scrutiny by the Council of Trent, were encouraged to produce musical settings that enhanced the intelligibility of sung text. Using homophonic and syllabic word-settings, these compositions reflect the major changes in the use of Gregorian chant at the time. With many composers using freer rhythms and exploring emotionally expressive elements of music and liturgy, a trend was born. Represented here are extraordinary melismas and solemn melodies, filled with passionate undertones of longing and despair. Through these new interpretations, Palestrina and Victoria's music will remain timeless in the modern age. For the Hilliard Ensemble, it is another marvelous recording worthy of the highest praises.

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