Customer Reviews

Song of Songs (Hybr)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I'm embarrassed to say that I wasn't familiar with Stile Antico until a recent Harmonia Early Music podcast where Music for Compline, their other album, was recommended. By the end of the next hour, I had downloaded all three of their albums from emusic. If you are a fan of either early music, or chamber choirs, Stile Antico is another group that must be part of your regular rotation, taking a rightful spot next to the Sixteen, Tallis Scholars, etc.

The group works without a conductor, which means that they need to listen to each other much more carefully, and time themselves with each other rather than relying on direction from a leader. It makes the whole choir function much more as an organic living being rather than a series of parts going together.

I particularly like this album as there's a lot of under-recorded music on it - not the same old standby pieces that make up so many early choral albums.

A chance glance at Stile Antico's CD Music for Compline while browsing evoked a second look and subsequent purchase. It was immediately obvious upon listening that this group was special and this CD makes a superb trio.

Each of the ensembles performing this type of music has its own appeal to me. It seems to me I am better able to separate out the individual voices of this group. I don't know if this is due to the way it was recorded or of the ensemble itself, but I have no complaint.

The music is ravishingly beautiful. Do yourself a favor and purchase it.

I was so impressed with the phenomenal sound bites that I heard on NPR, but the full length cd is absolutely out of this world! The music carries my spirit to a higher plane of existence. Very nice way to calm the soul while commuting. Helps me avoid road rage.

I remember reading an interview with the singers of early music quartet Anonymous 4 in which they complained about critics saying that they sang "too lovingly". Is it possible to be over-sweet in music? Well, the idea kept in the back of my mind until recently I heard this performance by Stile Antico. Speaking of songs directly inspired by "the most profane book of the Old Testament" (i'm quoting the liner notes), my only complaint is that these guys sing too heavenly. This is almost erotic poetry we're talking about, and sometimes while listening to the CD I feel as if I'm attending mass.

On the other hand, the album won a Gramophone Award and I respect the jury's discernment: the interpretation is blended and balanced, as they say. But if you want to contrast this with a sassier version of some of these songs, try Les Voix Baroques album "Canticum Canticorum", luscious from its cover to the whole musical approach.

Very beautiful and relaxing. Just sitting and reading a good book or just letting your mind wonder with this in the background is most relaxing. This is chamber music at its finest and for the price, you can't lose. Enjoy

I bought this after hearing bits of it on NPR. Choral music isn't something I usually like, but this album is beautiful. It is very peaceful and brings to mind ripples on an almost-frozen lake on a clear, sunny winter's day.

I think my title pretty much sums up my opinion on this music. I've been listening to it almost every evening for a few weeks now, and have yet to get tired of it. It's simple, elegant, and graceful. Truly music raised towards the heavens.

I'm a very general classical music fan. I love the standards. Along with many Jazz standards, a huge array of Rock, rap, R+B, alternative, etc., etc.

If you like to study or work to classical music or anything resembling Enya this is a perfect addition to your collection.

It's beautiful and brilliant. Thanks for the recommendation Amazon!

While the CD was well-recorded, the singers excellent, overall the selections sounded rather redundant to the untrained ear.

Despite their pedestrian recordings Stile Antico appear to be a magnet for shill-like accolades. So dull and so well received that I suspect that they may be a trojan horse embedded by entrenched record companies like DG, Philips, Decca, etc. to discredit the Early Music scene and thereby redirect music purchasers to their hoary stable of square talent. While the music of Thomas Victoria can give a Beethoven symphony or a Schubert lieder a run for it's money when performed by groups like the Cardinal's Musik or the Westminster Cathedral Choir, Stile Antico's crushingly tame and tedious approach throw Victoria and Palestrina back into the Russell Oberlin era of musical expression. For listeners who don't know any better, the music of the middle ages and renaissance should be performed with the same amount of personality and drama as a Chopin Nocturne. Music of that period was not as static and enervating as Stile Antico's handlers would lead you to believe.