11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Expect to be impressed, September 30, 2000
This review is from: All Soul's Vespers (Audio CD)
This is a composite requiem. All pieces add up to a reconstruction of Vespers for All Souls' Day (the feast for the dead) as it might have been heard in Cordoba Cathedral around 1570. The composers were selected for their possible connection with Cordoba Cathedral, or with Cordoba region generally. The sound is distinctly Spanish, characterized by open vowels and instrumental participation. The instruments, dominated by shawms, sackbuts and bajons, appear throughout the disc, including the chants. The singing is done mostly one to a part. From the moment you hear the distant drum roll, heralding the beginning of Gombert's Je Prens Congie, you will melt into the mournful, solemn and uplifting atmosphere of this disc. It is hard to imagine a better opening number than Je Prens Congie. This piece, used as both a processional and a recessional, is surely one of the most exquisite polyphonic compositions ever written. You will recognize it as an instrumental version of Lugebat David Absalon (incidentally, for a vocal version of this piece, get Gombert Credo and Motets/Henry's Eight). From Je Prens Congie, the music moves into the succession of chants and psalms, of which the short verses by Juan Vasquez are especially notable.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
