Search - Arvo Part, Matthew Owens, Stephen Wallace :: Arvo Pärt: Stabat Mater; Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis; Zwei Sonatinen for piano, Op. 1; Spiegel im Spiegel

A voice teacher and early music fan

George Peabody | Planet Earth | 01/27/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"PART'S MUSIC IS SPELLBINDING!

This is a magical recording, full of atmosphere and faultlessly performed by an excellent choir(St. Mary's, Edinburgh) and the leading chamber group 'Chamber Domaine', backed up by superb soloists, Stephen Wallace(countertenor) and Stephen Pledge (piano). It's a great introduction to this popular classical composer who "continues to cast his spell over performers and audiences alike" (Gramophone). There are seven pieces in this 74 minute disc; choir featured in two-the a cappella 'Nunc Dimmittis' (2001) and the 'Magnificat' (12 years previous).



As the title indicates the 'Stabat Mater' (23 minutes) for Soprano, alto, tenor and string trio is the main work. This is an incredibly moving Stabat Mater sung with high emotional instensity by the excellent countertenor (Wallace), soprano (Meyerhoff) and tenor (Bowley). This work underlines the centrality of Part's own faith. It's point of departure is a touching medieval 'sequence' with musical baggage ranging from the Renaissance polyphony to Josquin to the Italianate operatic fervor of Rossini. Like Monteverdi, Part also punctuates his subdivision of the magnificant poetic meditation with instrumental 'ritornelli'.



Where the 'Magnificat' breathes a purer air, the 'Nunc Dimittis' half tilts at vopluptuousness, incorporating a blazing affirmation of light and an almost Brucknerian concluding 'Gloria'.



Religious texts dominate Part's vocal output, but not exclusively, 'Es Sang vor langen Jahren'(1984) was his first foray into setting German with a mystico-spiritual edge, as befits its author (Brentano), one of the high priests of Teutonic romanticism.



The poet Robert Burns 'My Heart's In the Highlands' was the text for Part's work for countertenor and organ. Almost like the re-invented slow movement of a Bach organ trio sonata with obligato voice, the ambience reconciles wide-open grandeur with exquisitely-plotted understatement. Countertenor, Stephen Wallace posseses a rich and full voice, strong and very pleasing to hear. He performs Part's music with fervor and effortlessly.



The piano sonatinas-purposeful, technically assured and calculated to give the fingers a thorough work-out, obey no formula. These are skillfully played by Stephen Pledge.



The disc ends with a perfect epilogue 'Spiegel (Mirror in the mirror)' It is languorous and incantatory, rarefied and abstract and very well played by Thomas Kemp on violin.



The liner notes are excellent and provide much information about the recording and Part. I have used some of this information in my review so that I might inform you of what is important about the recording. The complete text of the works is also included in the package."