Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
René Jacobs leads what by 1990s standards is a large-scale performance of Monteverdi's popular 1610 Vespers: not only does he use a chorus in the Psalms and Magnificat, but he has his instrumentalists double the vocal parts for much of the time as well. In fact, Jacobs has encouraged his lead cornettist (the extraordinary Jean Tubéry) to embellish freely and has even added a part (evidently newly composed) for him in one of the Psalms (Laetatus sum). The performance is as lively and as colorful as all of this would lead you to expect, but the moments of calm devotion are nicely done as well--most notably the soprano duet "Pulchra es," sung spellbindingly by Maria Cristina Kiehr and Barbara Borden. Every one of the soloists does sterling work, in fact; they are this performance's greatest strength. If you want a large-scale choral performance and don't mind the instrumental additions, this and William Christie's recording could be first choices. (Purists should choose Andrew Parrott's stunning one-singer-per-part performance.) --Matthew Westphal
Monteverdi: Vespro della beata Vergine / Kiehr, Borden, Scholl, Bwen, Torres, Murgatroyd, Abete, Draijer; Jacobs, Music, Claudio Monteverdi, René Jacobs, Concerto Vocale, Andreas Scholl, Victor Torres, Maria Cristina Kiehr, Antonio Abete, John Bowen, Barbara Borden, Jelle Draijer, Nederlands Kamerkoor, Choral, Choral Music, Classical, Classical Composers, Classical Music
Track Listings:
Track Listings
All Time Greatest Hit Singles [Import]
Festival on the Classical Harp