Search - Ralph Vaughan Williams, King's Singers, Stephen Cleobury :: Ralph Vaughan Williams: Mass in G minor; Gerald Finzi, Arnold Bax: Sacred Music

Good Intentions, Bad Executions

kris | Las Vegas, NV USA | 12/07/2002

(3 out of 5 stars)

"It would appear that i have been duped. I bought this album for the exquisite and tender Mass in Gm, quite possibly the most emotional mass next to Bach's mass in Bm. From the breathy alto entrance of the Kyrie to the final invocation of Amen at the end of the Agnus Dei it is a rollercoaster ride through devotion. Sadly this recording of it is dull, lifeless and faulted in it's pompous belief that an English choir needs little more than to sing it. In truth it is one of the most difficult pieces of music i have ever performed and my expectations were set high. I was also saddened by the lack of adult FEMALE voices, the trebles could not dare to come close to the deep, powerful sound of the altos nor the bright, angelic sopranos. This CD isn't all bad though, the performances of 6 works by Finzi and Bax were extrordinary, i just wish that they could have brought that out in the Mass in Gm. I recommend the Corydon Singers if you are looking for a copy of the Mass."

Bad executions??!

D. Kelly | Gloucester, England | 04/29/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I'm sorry - but I just had to write something in response to "kris's" (whoever she is) review of this cd. Shock horror - no adult female voices, no sopranos and no "breathy alto entrance" in the Kyrie! Sure, this work was first perfomed by the whitsuntide singers, which would have included female singers. However, it is a Mass for goodness sake. It was written surely with R.R. Terry's (not to mention the Pope's) drive for the revival of the great latin music of Tudor composers in mind. In fact, the first liturgical performance was in the Cathedral. So to say that the performance loses anything from not having female singers is quite frankly poppycock. The great English choral foundation was founded upon the distinctive sound of the treble voice and the counter tenor - for purity and for tone. This is not to say of course that this is not achieved by female altos and sopranos - because it can be and is - but only that Tudor music is not about rich and fruity, over dramatic voices. In the context of the liturgy, the mass is certainly about high emotion - sure - but in the context of the time and style in which it was written, it is also about restraint. (See also Howell's mass in the dorian mode) This is the fine line a choir has to tread in performing this music and that is what makes this recording good (although not the best). It is certainly not "dull" or "lifeless." Diction, clarity of tone, ensemble and accuracy. What more could one want. Well, the new Westminster Cathedral recording would be a good investment! As for the Finzi and Bax - Check out the Finzi singers on Chandos."