Customer Reviews

Choral Moods

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I am a semi-professional singer with a BA in Music, and I bought this CD with some trepidation because it looked like one of those dreadful "pop classical" compilations that are everywhere lately. But it had lots of great repertoire all in on place, so I decided to risk it, and I was not disappointed! In fact, this is now one of my favorite choral CDs.

As usual, the Choir of Trinity College delivers stunning performances, and the music itself is just gorgeous. Lots of "church" favorites from a wide range of musical periods. The mood of the CD is definitely on the mellow side, but it's perfect for those quiet moods. I love this CD -- highly recommended!

Even as an avid fan of classical music with very picky tastes, there was just so much good music packed on these two (cheap!) discs for me to take in at once!
The perfectly balanced and locked chords can really give you chills.

I gave this CD as a present to a good friend of mine who was not so familiar with the genre, with tremendous results. I think this would make a great gift to anyone with the slightest inclination towards classical music.

This is a MUST for anyone who appreciates an incredible choir. The rendering of Sanctus brings tears to your eyes it is so moving. Highly recommended.

I agree with the other reviewers, and would add that this is first time I have heard anyone ornament the Allegri. The last section for the small choir (quite effectively placed at a distance, with striking sense of spaciousness) is ornamented first by the high treble and then the others as well. It was quite startling when I first heard it, and I did not know whether to be offended or not. I have decided that even though I am no musicologist worthy to comment on the correctness of such a thing, that I like it very much. It seems to me to be bold and dramatically expressive. The overall unhurried serenity of the performance (as opposed to the somewhat driven quality of the Tallis Scholars recording, for example) makes the ornamentation seem not like an inappropriate display, but very sincere and even discreet.
I find myself returning to this track very often after the terrorist attack on New York/DC/Pennsylvania

Excellent! By far the best collection of choral pieces I have ever heard. Far superior to The King's College Choir. The Bach/Gounod Ave Maria and the Bach/Marlow Advent Responsory are magnificent.

This was the first choral CD I've ever purchased when I started becomming involved with choir during my senior year of high school five years ago. My director was telling the choir that he had finally found his copy at a music store and referred to it as the "Holy Grail" of choral recordings. So, I went out to find my own copy and I'm still blown away by it today. I've even given copies as gifts. The music is certainly relaxing and such, but what I most value from it is the spiritual magic. The Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge (then and now my favorite choir in the world) brings every composition to life in such a way that's pure, elegant, and deep. Listening to this music and enjoying this choir has allowed me to set my own standard of singing and compositional excellence.

This is the one for all these people searching for heavenly choral music! The two-disc set contains so many pieces of work in deferent eras, and the price is not even outrageous!

The experience is beyond words. This is one of the best prooves that indicates that "music is cure" when someone feels down, or is haunted by past regrets or grief. The hard feelings are all banished by the celestial melodies, leaving the listener in the land of everlasting delight. It is always the sun you see upon the horizon after touring this fantastic voyage.

It is ironic that human beings have invented so many musical instruments, yet after all, the most soothing music lies no further than in our mortal voices.

This classic collection of choral music is enough to suck the bitter from a lemon. It provides such sweet sounds that are truly uplifting.

This 2-cd collection of choral works is wonderful. The selections range in time period, but all are generally relaxed (though emotionally charged) and contemplative. The Trinity Choir is one of the best I've ever heard, and their treatment of these very difficult pieces is outstanding, technically and musically. Standouts include Barber's Agnus Dei (a vocal transcription of his Adagio for Strings) and Allegri's Miserere. This is really a highly sensitive recording of some of the most beautiful choral music ever written. A great buy for any choral music lover!

I keep finding new things to love on this CD, including the fact that it has the first recording I found of Gabriel Faure's beautiful Soprano (or Soprano/Alto) duet Ave Maria., Opus 93. The same recording appears on another CD where the singers are named. The above description of this selection unaccountably adds a baritone. Incidentally, Faure also composed a shorter SATB Ave Maria, which John Rutter has recorded.

I only wish the recording included the complete text of Psalm 50/51 from Gregorio Allegri's Miserere Mei Deus. This might come from John Rutter's recently edited score, published by Oxford Press, if I'm not mistaken. I, for one, do not find this selection (or indeed the entire recording) too long and I believe that the embellishments at the end (mentioned in another review) are probably correct when considering performance conventions of the time of its composition.