Classical
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publisher: Classic FM ASIN: B003O85CLM sales rank: 19 price: £8.89 (new), £8.49 (used) |
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publisher: EMI Classics ASIN: B003OT4M08 sales rank: 231 price: £6.54 (new) |
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publisher: Decca ASIN: B002V1HJEG sales rank: 193 price: £4.83 (new), £3.58 (used) |
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publisher: Naxos ASIN: B001F1YBUS sales rank: 246 price: £2.92 (new), £3.25 (used) |
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publisher: Harmonia Mundi Classique ASIN: B003H2E3D8 sales rank: 162 price: £22.99 (new) |
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publisher: Sony Music ASIN: B00292BYOS sales rank: 535 price: £2.30 (new), £2.30 (used) |
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publisher: Polydor ASIN: B002S0OBMS sales rank: 269 price: £5.39 (new), £11.84 (used) |
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publisher: Decca (UMO) ASIN: B00076SJE6 sales rank: 293 price: £3.69 (new), £3.11 (used) |
This new release is somewhat mistitled: while most of the pieces are, in fact, from the Renaissance (or early Baroque), there are works here also by Samuel Barber, Poulenc, John Tavener, Bruckne,r and Gorecki. What they all have in common is their beauty and serenity. Perhaps the CDs subtitle, "Music for Inner Peace," also refers to a type of renaissance, i.e., spiritual re-birth: in which case, they're right on the money. The Sixteen, led by Harry Christophers, is one of the greatest proponents of this sort of choral music in the world, and they don't disappoint here: The Allegri "Miserere," with its wickedly beautiful ascent to high C by soprano soloist, is ravishing; Barber's own arrangement of his "Adagio for strings" for chorus (1967) is polyphony at its most "renaissance" without actually being so, and Gorecki's "Totos Tuus" is otherworldly in it mysticism. The selections by Byrd, Tomkins, et al., are, like the others, impeccably performed. Even an early piece by contemporary composer John Tavener, normally the master of excruciatingly pretentiousness, is lovely. This recording is a gem. --Robert Levine |
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publisher: Island ASIN: B0030BYWW8 sales rank: 828 price: £6.49 (new), £6.48 (used) |
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publisher: Virgin ASIN: B00005NDVJ sales rank: 407 price: £7.20 (new), £10.44 (used) |
Karl Jenkins' The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace is a departure from his Adiemus recordings into the more conventional territory of large-scale choral and orchestral writing, though his customary passion for mixing languages remains in full force with texts in English, Latin and French. Jenkins has said that The Armed Man was inspired by the "L'Homme armé" masses which were popular in the 16th century, and he makes this debt clear with passages written in a neat pastiche of Palestrina-style renaissance polyphony. There are also echoes of earlier and later styles, including plainchant, medieval ballads, James Barry-style horn writing (think Goldfinger) and even a direct quote from Rigoletto (the choir imitates wind sounds at one point as in Act 3 of Verdi's opera). The smorgasbord manages to hold together, probably because Jenkins' obvious sincerity shines through every note. The London Philharmonic Orchestra plays beautifully, and treble Tristan Hambleton performs his solo with ethereal clarity. The National Youth Choir sings with vigour and accuracy, even if the young sopranos sound a little thin at the top of their range. If you liked the soundtrack to The Mission, this should press all the right buttons. --Warwick Thompson |
