Customer Reviews

Sacred Treasures II: Choral Masterworks from the Sistine Chapel

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I would give it no stars if possible.

Quite apart from the hiss on some tracks, there is every reason to avoid this album if you have any interest in Allegri's music.

Allegri wrote a coherent piece of *choral* music of about 10-12 minutes. This a choppy "new ageification" of the piece with not especially notable singing which extends the piece over an entire album. Allegri's music is interspersed with modern compositions and intrumentation. Worse, all sorts of tricks are played with timing -- voices being slowed down to create heaven knows what desired effect [try track 8].

There are many other recordings of Allegri available (even of pieces other than the Miserere). Personally I would recommend the older recording by the Tallis scholars (which also have some glorious music by Palestrina.)

Volume I and Volume III of the Sacred Treasures CDs are marvelous -- beautiful music performed in wonderful acoustical settings. Unfortunately, this one is not of the same caliber. Instead of presenting the Allegri as it was written (for voices), each movement has an additional contemporary part with a Cornetto, an out-of-tune brass instrument. The thrills that started the pieces are destroyed by this addition. Let the music stand on its own.

First of-its not the miserere that we're all used to. It is the whole piece but its been divided into 14 tracks. As with the Miserere: first there is singing by the men then "answered by the boy trebles". ( which by the way do a wonderful job. The high c is hit with a pure voice. The rest do a great job whith the ins and out of the harmony.)I am not a music scholar, but after the lines are sung and the brass tones of the cornetto come in~ it is a truly haunting ethereal beautiful experience. You can imagine the Pope kneeling in the solemn candlelit atmosphere of the Sistine chapel, although it is recorded in the Osnabruck Cathedral. There are so may recorded pieces of the Miserere, I myself have at least a dozen. To hear it played this way is not a problem. If you want the Miserere the way it was written by Allegri, buy it from Choir of St John's. Or if you want it in english, get it from the King's Cathedral choir. They are both gorgious! But for a different perspective don't be afraid to try something new. It is absolutely awesome!

I was very disappointed with this selection. I mean, who in the right mind would use a TRUMPET SOLO for a choral CD? And the soprano solo sounded like she was in some kind of physical pain. I just couldn't believe my ears. I kept listening, hoping that maybe, just maybe, the next one would be better, but no such luck. The entire disc was a disappointment.

If you are looking for a nice choral CD with pretty sopranos, I recommend the Sacred Treasures Volume 4, which I got in a hurry to help me recover from the horrors of Volume 2. I found the other volumes (the Russian chorals) to be too baritone for me.

With respect to those who have negatively critiqued this CD, I wish to add to this forum my heartfelt praise. When one pauses to consider the ancient roots of this music, and the sanctity of the place to which it solely belonged for so many years, its depth and richness magnify. When one goes further, and allows oneself to sit still and breathe in the echoing precision of the voices so hauntingly mixed with brass, this work's magic may most fully be worked on the listener. And it is my belief that there is a certain mysteriuos quantity of magic in the Miserere. It requests that it's beholder be silent and let its meditative depth spread out like a slowly rippling body of water, and pad out the noise and the internal chatter of the mind. I find that this music is aptly titled "Sacred." And to me at least, it has been a treasure. I hope some others will allow themselves to connect with it as I have.

This was my first purchase of the Sacred Treasures CDs, but won't be the last! Very inspiring, lovely music!

I was introduced to this in a roundabout way. While taking a class in Buddhism, a group of us had gone over to the teacher's house to learn about Vipasyana meditation. At his house was this gorgeous music playing in the background. It was the original Sacred Treasures volume from Hearts of Space. I went out the next day and couldn't find it but found this volume instead.

I was blown away. It was some of the most beautiful music I had ever heard. I loved the chorus, the mystique of the music, the slow, almost timeless pace and, yes, even the brass. I knew nothing of the background (though there is some good background on the piece in the liner notes).

As far as I know this is the entire piece with five extra compositions woven into the piece and thus its "metamorphosis". I have been listening to it over and over as of late for some reason; I think I have tired of the overabundance of music from all fronts in all forms of media. This one has the power to slow me down into a meditative state.

I do have the Misere portion from this work as performed by the Tallis Scholars and do recognize the differences now. The Tallis Scholars version is spellbinding as a strictly choral piece as it was originally written and performed. I recommend that one as well.

However, this piece stands on its own if you open your mind a little and allow it to speak for itself. Sometimes we kill music by our expectations.

Unless you're really into new age versions of choral masterpieces, don't bother with this CD. It's drivel.

I cannot say whether or not this rendition is true to Allegri or not. I can say that the music is beautiful, relaxing, heart-felt, contemplative. I highly recommend it.

I love the whole Sacred Treasures series! This music always transports me to an intimate place with just me and my God. Its not meant to be critiqued. Its WORSHIP, meant to be FELT, not analyzed, for it is an expression of the human spirit. The trumpet's dissonance reflects the outcry of a human heart longing for absolution and divine union."Amplius," meaning "more" would have been empty without the mournful sound of the trumpet begging for more cleansing, more healing, more wisdom, more acceptance, more love.....what a psalm....what a prayer.....