Customer Reviews

Bruckner Motets

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2 star:		(1)
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This is an amazing CD. I listen to it in the dark with the phone ringer off so that I don't miss a moment of it. The Corydon Singers are perfect in pitch, blend, and expression. The final track, Christus factus est pro nobis, is especially moving. It makes you weep in despair and rejoice in triumph. Simply amazing; this CD is a must-have.

Bruckner's motets have been called symphonies in miniature, teeming with overt dynamic and emotional range, often within just the span of a few measures. They are therefore almost perfectly suited to the Corydon Singers, who perform this selection of motets with an almost operatic fervor. Aside from Dennis Keene's Voices of Ascension, I have never heard another choir approach sacred music with such intensity and exquisitely soloistic vocal technique. Listen for example to the basses' solo line "a deo" in the "Locus Iste," and you will hear it performed as grippingly as Bruckner intended. I wouldn't necessarily want to hear them perform Händel, but in this repertoire they are unmatched.

These wonderful pieces of liturgical music represent the peace and purity Bruckner found through his faith in God. The writing is at times simple...as it should be...but this simplicity only serves to accentuate the tranquility and beauty of these works. Bruckner the symphonist and Bruckner the devout Catholic. Much like Bach, Bruckner's music bears witness to God and I even find myself truly believing when listening. In this day and age of largely agnostic and God-less music, it is Bruckner's music which I find so dear and it will forever remain so for those in need, due to its intrinsic spiritual and faithful character.

Great Recording and Music!

Bruckner is without doubt the best composer of sacred music since the Renaissance. Don't get me wrong, I love the sacred music of Bach, Mozart, even Verdi, but their works are more appropriate for the theater or concert hall than church. These motets could truly enhance the spiritual (and not just aesthetic) experience of a worship service, especially at Mass. Bruckner understood the difference between inspirational art and sacred art. What I just said does not apply to all his sacred music - his Te Deum is another example of "concert hall" sacred music - but it is certainly true of his motets and his E minor Mass for chorus and winds.

The performance on this disc, as others have said, is exquisite.

I am a choral music educator. I bought this recording because my choir was currently preparing Virga Jesse floruit. The notes and rhythms are accurate. The tone quality of the choir was offensive to most of my singers. They are used to hearing good boy sopranos and countertenors, however, these soprani were definitely in the shouty, over sung category. I recognized the Hyperion label and thought I would be getting high quality. I was only able to play it once and have not listened to the other selections on the recording. This cut was a very uninspiring performance of a great work by Bruckner.

There are not many records of Bruckner motets, so I was happy to find this CD. I bought it together with Naxos Bruckner Motets (ASIN: B000001415)

No critic about performance or recordings quality, but finally I am no singer, just someone who likes classic music and Bruckner.

This is one of the greatest choral performances ever set to disc, if not the greatest.