2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Phenomenol choral technique and fascinating repertoire, June 10, 2008
This review is from: La Jeune France (Audio CD)
It is the Messiaen centenary year, which is a great excuse to explore his music. The recording not only gives a sensitive, ecstatic, luxurious, and even sexy rendering of the Cinq Rechants, it also helps place the piece in context by providing performances of very obscure pieces by Messiaen's contemporaries. Now La Jeune France is not just a footnote in Messiaen's biography for me, but an actual presence in my CD collection. Further, the works by Jolivet and Daneil-Lesur are equally enthralling. This recording will be of enormous value to anyone interested in the music of Messiaen.
From a choral technique standpoint, Harry Christophers and The Sixteen have outdone themselves. All of the sensitivity, spontaneity, and unerring intonation that typifies their recordings of Taverner and Tallis are on tap for this music that is technically beyond the pale. It is hard to imagine music that could make more demands on singers, yet The Sixteen never seems bogged down in technique, just trying to sing the right notes. Rather, they obviously have the music internalized so well that they are able to sing with amazing expressiveness and nuance. The virtuosity becomes a background detail. Congratulations to The Sixteen on this remarkable achievement.
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