1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
a voice teacher and early music fan, October 20, 2011
This review is from: Palestrina-Masses (Audio CD)
PALESTRINA= PURITY OF COMPOSITION WHILE PRO CANTIONE ANTIQUA= PURITY OF SONG.
This five disc set is a treasure trove of some of the finest Palestrina that you will ever hear in one box set! CONTENTS: CD One= 'MISSA L'HOMME ARME', 'MISSA ASSUMPTA EST MARIA'; CD Two= 'LAMENTATIONS OF JEREMIAH THE PROPHET'(book four); CD Three= 'MISSA BREVIS;, MISSA LAUDA SION', 'SUPER FLUMINA BABYLONIS', 'SICUT CERVUS'; CD Four= 'MISSA AETERNA CHRISTI MUNERA', 'MISSA L'HOMME ARME'(four voices); CD Five= 'MISSA PAPAE MARCELLI', 'STABAT MATER'.
It is interesting to note that Palestrina wrote in the dedication of his 'First Book of Motets' what he considered to be the function of music in the church: "The funtion of music in the church is the seasoning of devotion by the added delight of sweetness in song and variety of harmony". Thus he describes for us all how we should perceive his music. Therefore, the qualities are:" purity and clarity, comparative brevity and simplicity, polyphony used with judicious reserve, the banishing of secular elements from music". And I believe that these five recordings all speak to Palestrina's dedication.
Pro Cantione of London was founded in the 1960's by tenor James Griffet, countertenor Paul Esswood and conductor/producer Mark Brown. From the beginning they have been closely associated with conductor and musicologist Bruno Turner. They are probably one of the leading British performing groups in a cappella music. Though principally an all-male ensemble, they have occasionally supplemented with female voices when appropriate (example: 1978 recording with Philip Ledger to accompany the Oxford Book of English Madrigals).
Pro Cantione Antiqua perform in a strong straightforward style with not too much overpointing. Their delivery is accurate and efficient, always musical and shapely. They are recorded here in a suitable acoustic; not too closely miked and the acoustic is not overwhelming but the recording remains atmospheric, giving something of the feel of the church.
It is somewhat annoying that no liner notes are included in this package, but there is a booklet that includes the contents of each disc, that is the Latin text and the performers who vary from disc to disc. Mark Brown conducts on four of the five recordings and Bruno Turner on the other. There is an assortment of sixteen singers, all of whom sing on at least two of the five discs.
The performers are: countertenors=Timothy Penrose, Charles Brett, Michael Chance, Ashley Stafford; tenors=Wynford Evans, James Griffett, Ian Partridge, Neil Jenkins, James Lewington; basses= Michael George, Gordon Jones, Christopher Keyte, Brian Etheridge, Adrian Peacock, David Beavan. Fine singers all, some of whom have become internationally well-known such as Chance, Partridge and George. The sound, however, remains solid, strong and clear throughout all five recordings and the changes of personnel are irrelevant.
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