Search - Gregorian Chant, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, Girolamo Cavazzoni :: Palestrina: Missa de Beata Virgine 1 (1567)

Moving music well recorded

R. Rockwell | Brooklyn, NY USA | 11/23/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As someone who has no musical education and who has not sampled different versions of this mass, I can only offer a wholly subjective opinion. The notes included offer a proper preparation for someone unfamiliar with Palestrina and made listening more rewarding. The recording attempts to be historically accurate, including only male voices. The combination of different musical styles incorporated by Palestrina make for a truly subime listening experience."

Like Heaven!!!

Harry Potter | 03/03/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This music is something else. It's like being in heaven or something like that. I was already familiar with the music of Palestrina but this...blowed my mind away. All the voices join in perfect harmony. If you like sacred choral music, then this is, buy it, besides, the price is ridiculus."

One of the Best Palestrina Performances Available

Giordano Bruno | Wherever I am, I am. | 11/01/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It has drama and passion. Sergio Vartolo conducts the choir with a sure sense of polyphonic structure; each voice expresses its rhetorical phrase with its own rhythmic logic, so that there's never a big fat moment of pseudo-sublime rumble-grumble, the curse of choir recordings. It's ten times better in every way than the Westminster Choir recordings. It's not as "polished" as the Tallis Scholars, but it's way more exciting. A few rough spots don't compromise the overall effect.



The performance is shaped as a full liturgical mass, with plainchant of the propers by a countertenor, in the florid manner of the semi-independent diocese of Bologna in the 16th C, and with an organ interlude.



And check out the price!



Addendum, several days later: This is one of those CDs that doesn't sound better on high-quality sound systems, as I discovered when I came home to my own and played it. There's enough distortion around the upper voices to diminish my listening pleasure except perhaps on headphones. Sorry about that!"