Customer Reviews

The King's Singers' Madrigal History Tour

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Most madrigals one hears tend to be either in Italian or English. Not so on this album, perhaps one of the best European madrigal samplers (if not the only one)in existence. Some well known English and Italian madrigals can be found, of course. But the true treasure of this album is its inclusion of French, German -- and most rarely, Spanish -- madrigal offerings. Combine this repertoire, then, with the accurate sonorities of the King's Singers and one finds treasure unbounded. An album that is infinitely enjoyable. Liner notes and translations are included.

I heard the first four selections on a Chicago classical station earlier this year, and knew right away I had to have this album. The King's Singers harmonize beautifully. And, as the title suggests, the listener gets samples of different European madrigal styles.

All male voice with perfect technique. Some madrigals are sung a capella, though most of them with accompaniment. The accompaniment, on renaissance instruments, is perfect, just like the singing. Excellent renditions of Mateo Flecha's La Bomba and Gastoldi's Amor vittorioso. Highly recommended

I am a university student and a vocal performance major, and this album represents exactly what madrigal singing was at the time. It also contains a diverse array of languages from Italian to Englis to Spainish. Having worked with Simon Carrington personally i know that the styles of the madrigals on this album are accurate. Also, its just really fun to listen too! As an even bigger plus, its cheap for poor students! I highly recommend buying this.

This is the best example of madrigal singing I have ever heard. The all male voices demonstrates the very best of Italian, English, French, Spanish, and German madrigal singing in the original style. Additionally, sheet music for over 50% of the selections is findable for those who really want to see the music.

Joined on about a third of the numbers by instrumentalists billed as the "Consort of Musicke", the King's Singers offer a variety of compositions from each country they "visit", some upbeat and others gently reflective. The vocalists are countertenors Jeremy Jackman and Alastair Hume, tenor Bill Ives, baritones Anthony Holt and Simon Carrington, and bass Colin Mason. Their presence and theatricality in interpreting the material are delightful, and these men blend together impeccably, with a clear, straight tone and flawless enunciation. You can actually understanding the words without reading along in the insert booklet (provided, of course, that you're familiar with the language being sung!) Favorites of mine from the thirty four tracks include the Italian "Lirum bililirum" and "Il bianco e dolce cigni"; the English "Of all the birds that I do know" and "Now is the month of Maying"; "La, la, la, je ne l'ose dire" and "Il est bel et bon" from France, "Tres morillas m'enamoran" from Spain; and the German "Tanzen und Springen". In addition to this release, this fine group has an extensive discography. Check out their other recordings too!

This is a glorious CD. Positively transporting. A nice range of styles, beautifully sung.

Perfect recital of the King's Singers, recorded in 1983 and based on a television series aired on the BBC (you can see it on YouTube), taking you along on a geographical as much as historical tour, not so much of the madrigal proper (the title, pun included, was more appropriate for the TV show, in which the King Singers were joined by some female singers, including Emma Kirby) than of the Renaissance song of all kinds in the 16th and early 17th centuries: the recital offers a selection of frottola, balletti, canzonette, ayres, consort songs, chansons, ensaladas, villancios, in Italian (rather than "by Italian composers": though active in Italy, Giaches de Wert - here called only "Wert" - Jacques/Jacob Arcadelt and Philippe Verdelot were not Italian), English, French, Spanish and German. The recital has a great mixture of the plangent and dirge-like (unrequited - or requited - love, prospects death and frailty of the human life), the comical and light-hearted and the dazzlingly virtuosic (culminating with Janequin's astonishing "La Guerre", with its onomatopeia imitative of the sounds of war), the purely a cappella and the instrument-accompanied (Anthony Rooley's Consort of Musicke). Texts of songs are provided with English translations, the liner notes are informative, with a short descriptive comment on each madrigal, the disc is filled to the brim (74:25), the King's Singers sing exquisitely, with great verve, and their French accent is more than acceptable; as for Anthony Rooley's Consort of Musicke, their credentials in the music of the era do not need to be extolled. Last but not least, the disc sells very cheap at the time of writing. What more could one ask for?

The Madrigal History Tour is the most brilliant piece of recorded music that I ever had the honour to listen to.
The King's Singers are probably the best men's chamber choir in existence. Unlike operatic soloists, their voices are trained for clarity and beauty rather than shock and awe. If you've never heard countertenors before, you might be taken aback by the male voices in the soprano range, but it won't take long to get used to. (It's also the historically accurate rendering, as mixed choirs were not commonplace in the renaissance era.)

It is obvious that a huge amount of educated effort was invested in the selection, research, implementation and rehearsal of the pieces. The King's Singers were able to maintain historical authenticity while throwing in a multitude of little creative improvements. They sing in five languages with an almost flawless (modern) pronunciation, conveying the different musical styles of all five major Western European nations in a lively manner.

Most importantly, these guys' joy and love for singing and their bright mischievous humour makes you smile and gets you to sing too!

I go to all their concerts...so I must have all their records...they are each unique.