Nisi Dominus

1. Nisi Dominus
Composed by Giovanni Paolo Colonna
with Roberto Balconi , Marco Bianchi , Francesco Cera , Francesco Cera , Sergio Foresti , Roberta Invernizzi , Ugo Nastrucci , Paolo Rizzi , Alberto Stevanin , Marco Testori

2. Pulchra es
Composed by Giovanni Paolo Colonna
with Roberto Balconi , Marco Bianchi , Francesco Cera , Francesco Cera , Sergio Foresti , Roberta Invernizzi , Ugo Nastrucci , Paolo Rizzi , Alberto Stevanin , Marco Testori

3. O caeli devota
Composed by Giovanni Paolo Colonna
with Roberto Balconi , Marco Bianchi , Francesco Cera , Francesco Cera , Sergio Foresti , Roberta Invernizzi , Ugo Nastrucci , Paolo Rizzi , Alberto Stevanin , Marco Testori

4. Diffundite flores
Composed by Giovanni Paolo Colonna
with Roberto Balconi , Marco Bianchi , Francesco Cera , Francesco Cera , Sergio Foresti , Roberta Invernizzi , Ugo Nastrucci , Paolo Rizzi , Alberto Stevanin , Marco Testori

5. Salve praetiosum
Composed by Giovanni Paolo Colonna
with Roberto Balconi , Marco Bianchi , Francesco Cera , Francesco Cera , Sergio Foresti , Roberta Invernizzi , Ugo Nastrucci , Paolo Rizzi , Alberto Stevanin , Marco Testori

6. O lucidissima dies
Composed by Giovanni Paolo Colonna
with Roberto Balconi , Marco Bianchi , Francesco Cera , Francesco Cera , Sergio Foresti , Roberta Invernizzi , Ugo Nastrucci , Paolo Rizzi , Alberto Stevanin , Marco Testori

7. Lamentation No 2
Composed by Giovanni Paolo Colonna
with Roberto Balconi , Marco Bianchi , Francesco Cera , Francesco Cera , Sergio Foresti , Roberta Invernizzi , Ugo Nastrucci , Paolo Rizzi , Alberto Stevanin , Marco Testori

8. Lamentation No 3
Composed by Giovanni Paolo Colonna
with Roberto Balconi , Marco Bianchi , Francesco Cera , Francesco Cera , Sergio Foresti , Roberta Invernizzi , Ugo Nastrucci , Paolo Rizzi , Alberto Stevanin , Marco Testori

Tracks:

Gloria In D Major, RV 589: I Gloria in excelsis Deo
Gloria In D Major, RV 589: II Et in terra pax
Gloria In D Major, RV 589: III Gloria in D Major, RV 589 III Laudamus te (2 sopranos)
Gloria In D Major, RV 589: IV Gloria in D Major, RV 589 IV Gratias agnimus tibi
Gloria In D Major, RV 589: V Gloria in D Major, RV 589 V Propter magnam gloriam
Gloria In D Major, RV 589: VI Gloria in D Major, RV 589 VI Domaine Deis (soprano)
Gloria In D Major, RV 589: VII Gloria in D Major, RV 589 VII Domaine Fili unigenite
VIII Gloria In D Major, RV 589 VIII Domaine Deus, Agnus Dei (contralto, chorus)
IX Gloria in D Major, RV 589 IX Qui tollis peccata munid
Gloria In D Major, RV 589: X Gloria in D Major, RV 589 X Qui sedes (contralto)
Gloria In D Major, RV 589: XI Gloria In D Major, RV 589 XI Quoniam tu solus Sanctus
Gloria In D Major, RV 589: XII Gloria in D Major, RV 589 XII Cum Sancto Spiritu
Nisi Dominus, RV 608: Nisi Dominus
Nisi Dominus, RV 608: Nisi Dominus, RV 608 II Vanurm est vobis, III Surgite postquam sederitis
Nisi Dominus, RV 608: Nisi Dominus, RV 608 IV Cum dederit dilectus suis somnum
Nisi Dominus, RV 608: Nisi Dominus, RV 608 V Sicut sagittae in manu potentis
Nisi Dominus, RV 608: Nisi Dominus, RV 608 VI Beatus vir qui implevit
Nisi Dominus, RV 608: Nisi Dominus, RV 608 VII Gloria Patri et Filio, VIII Sicut erat in principio, IX Amen
Nulla in mundo pax sincera, RV 630: I Nulla in mundo pax sincera
Nulla in mundo pax sincera, RV 630: Blando colore ... Spirat anguis
Nulla in mundo pax sincera, RV 630 III: Alleluia

Tracks:

Amor, hai vinto, RV 651: I Amor, hai vinto ... Passo di pena
Amor, hai vinto, RV 651: II In qual strano ... Se a me rivolge
Trio sonata 'La folia', RV 63
All'ombra di sospetto, RV 678: All'ombra di sospetto
All'ombra di sospetto, RV 678: O quanti amanti
Lungi dal bago volto, RV 680: Lungi del vago volto
Lungi dal bago volto, RV 680: Allegrezza mio core
Vengo a voi, luci adorate, RV 682: Vengo a voi, luci adorate
Vengo a voi, luci adorate, RV 682: Portando in sen l'ardor

Customer Reviews:

Good points far outweigh some minor deficiencies.......2005-11-29

This whole set is gorgeous (although the second cd gets a bit tediuos unless you really like early music), and Emma Kirkby has one the most beautiful, distinctive soprano voices I have ever heard, one can't help but like her, but hard-core critics beware, her intonation is not flawless, especially in the "Alleluia" of the "Nulla in Mundo" cycle, one can hear her go off on some of the high notes. Like I said, it's beautiful, but that does bother me personally every time I listen to that track. But buy it anyway.

More of Emma Please.......2004-01-02

I would have given this CD 5 stars if Emma Kirkby had sung all of the cantatas on Disc 2. Unfortunately, most of the cantatas on this disc are sung by Catherine Bott, who in my musically illiterate opinion, sounds more like a mezzo-soprano than a true soprano. Kirkby on the other hand is a legend in early music and brings her trademark "purity of sound" to this recording. The gorgeous duet she sings with Judith Nelson on disc 1 is alone worth the price of this set (that's probably a slight exaggeration, but it's pretty damn good anyway).

Getting away from Kirkby a sec, the Gloria on CD 1 is indeed glorious. The choral movements are sharp and lively, having that quality of all good choirs of sounding not quite of this earth. Listening to this CD after a couple of beers, you could be forgiven for thinking that your house has been invaded by cherubim and seraphim.

I'm not a huge fan of counter tenors (probably something to do with feeling threatened about my latent homosexuality or being emasculated) so I can't really provide any worthwhile comments about the Nisi Dominus which is a showcase of James Bowman's skills. Bowman has pretty impressive credentials, so I'm not about to get stuck into him. Suffice to say, I usually skip thru tracks 13-18 on disc 1.

amazingly beautiful.......2003-04-27

This CD is worth buying just for "Nulla in mundo pax sincera." This is one of the most beautiful vivaldi motets and is simply heavenly. I absoluterly love it!

Glorious cantatas on the second CD.......2002-06-14

For once the 5 stars are worth it. The choral works on disc 1 are masterful benchmark interpretations of the pick of Vivaldi's sacred output. What makes it a real bargain however is the second disc of cantatas - one of Emma Kirkby and Catherine Bott's finest achievements on the old L'Oiseau Lyre label. Couple this with full texts and an intelligent booklet. Wonderful!

a "must have".......2002-05-11

This is the ONLY version of "Gloria" you should own! The Choir of Christ Church is amazing and truly does justice to Vivaldi's work.

Average customer rating:

Focus on the Recordings
This is a fantastic deal!
Excellent, Broad Selection
$70....when was this???
$70/40... you do the math.

Vivaldi: The Masterworks (Box Set)

Manufacturer: Brilliant Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Magnificats | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Psalms | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Blowout Box Sets | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

More Titles at Least 20% Off | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

Brilliant Classics | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Complete Works (170 CD Box Set)
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Beethoven: The Masterworks (Box Set)
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ASIN: B00062FLHY
Release Date: 2004-11-30

Customer Reviews:

Focus on the Recordings.......2007-07-23

I've made this small review of the Vivaldi Masterworks set because it is SO difficult to find a review of such a big collection.

The price is killer and you HAVE to buy it, but be warned: these are not the best recordings, you get what you pay for.

First of all, I'm not a Vivaldi expert, but I've heard his compositions throughout my life in so many different places and recordings and have a vague idea of how some have to be played. Secondly, I'm not a classical music connoisseur, but I love it and have over 300 discs of various composers and styles. Third, I know what a good audio recording should sound like and this will influence my critique of some discs in the collection. Finally, it's easy to get lost among all the tracks contained, so in some cases I will give you my favorite tracks in a disc.

I'm sorry, but I've only reached disc 20 of the box-set, as I listen to more this review will be expanded.

DISC 1:
Why would you use an AAD recording as a first impression for a 40 disc box-set and for the "Four Seasons", which is probably Vivaldi's best know work. The concertos are played enthusiastically, but lack any additional virtuosity to put it ahead of other much better recordings out there.

DISC 2:
Same as DISC 1, played and recorded by the same people.

DISC 3:
The pieces in this disc are VERY well played, nonetheless, you can hear heavy breathing from the soloist which can be a bit annoying.

DISC 4:
Very well performed as well, heavy breathing is less present.

DISC 5:
A very good recording, excellent execution by the hapsichord and good by the recorder.
Tracks 4, 6, 7 and the whole "La Notte" are extraordinary.

DISC 6:
Exquisitely recorded and performed by the Budapest Strings.

DISC 7:
Marvelous performance on the whole disc.
Tracks 22 & 24 are non-plus-ultra.

DISC 8:
Great performance too.
Suggested tracks: 7, 12, 15, 24

DISC 9:
To have an original baroque organ playing is a plus.
Solo strings are lacking in quality (for example: tracks 6 & 7).
Suggested tracks: 1, 4, 8, 15

DISC 10:
Despite being and ADD recording, the quality is fairly good. The cello is very well played.
Suggested tracks: 3, 4, 12
Excellent track: 13

DISC 11:
Same musical group and soloist as DISC 10. The contrabass is extremely distorted sometimes, and if you take into consideration that this is an ADD recording, it can get pretty bad. Some background noise is perceived.
Suggested tracks: 3, 6, 9

DISC 12:
The compositions are somewhat boring, either way the performance is plain decent.
Suggested tracks: 10, 12

DISC 13:
Good performance and sound quality.
Suggested tracks: 1, 4, 6, 7
Excellent track: 12

DISC 14:
Good performance and sound quality too.
Suggested tracks: 10, 14, 16
Excellent track: 5

DISC 15:
Badly mixed, the basoon is blocking the whole ensamble by being in the foreground.
The playing precision is lacking.
An AWEFUL thing about this recording is that you can hear the basson key-sticking with the instrument and the saliva. It's horrible.
Such a pity, the sound of the basson with other instruments can be pretty interesting.

DISC 16:
Violins sound a bit off tempo.
Suggested tracks: 4, 8

DISC 17:
Good sound quality and performance.
Suggested tracks: 1, 7, 9

DISC 18:
Despite being an old recording, it is a very welcome one.
The performance is very well above par. Tempo is fantastic.
The quality of the recording could have been better due to some string plucking that is heard and which can become bothersome.
These are some of Vivaldi's best know tunes.
Suggested tracks: 4, 6, 13
Excellent tracks: 1, 3

DISC 19:
Lively recording.
Track 6 is the same piece found in another disc in the collection, but with a better performance.

DISC 20:
By now you've heard all of this pieces before in the other discs. Nothing new here, nor better.

This is a fantastic deal!.......2007-02-25

If you are a fan at all of the Four Seasons you should love this music. I will admit right now that I am a classical music fan. I don't write or perform it. I am a novice listener. I have never taken any music lessons(though I am leaning in that direction) and certainly have not gone through any university music training. I started out in rock and roll but found classical as I got older and fell in love with it a few years ago.

With that context in mind I do hope I am able to recognize quality and this work is of the highest. It helps when you are starting with good ingredients in the first place. You can't bake great bread without great ingredients and Vivaldi's music library has some of the greatest musical ingredients of the last 300 years. They are very much the foundation for modern western culture and music. His talent is woven through what we are

The first 26 CDs are instrumental starting with the four seasons and working through many of the Master's many popular works. I will admit the four seasons are not the best interpretation I have heard but it is definitely acceptable. The rest of the music shows us many facets of the Baroque style and you can see themes emerging through some of the pieces that give us a 'fingerprint' of Vivaldi's style and the parameters of the stylistic leanings of the genre at the time. If you want to immerse yourself in 18th century music this is your chance

This music would be ideal for someone who owns a store and is looking for background music. With over 26 CDs of instrumental music alone you could have those constantly looping and you'd probably never get bored of them(OK I may be stretching it a little there). The reason is that the music does not leave a bad 'aftertaste' in your mind. It fits into the background as easily and naturally as it is to listen to it consciously in the foreground. If you are a fan of classical Baroque you don't usually need to be in the mood for this, it will adjust your mood to itself and Vivaldi's music is almost always of an uplifting sort if this collection is any indication. If you want something to listen to at your job 8 hours per day this is good for the mind and it would take you over a week to get through it if you listened to it every minute of every work day. You will also work without the worry of the music distracting your concentration. I find it enhances it when I'm working. I don't know how well this would work on school kids but teachers might want to try playing this during school time. You may create a few geniuses, we certainly could use more!

If you are looking for something to ease your sleep and oil your dreams I have put these CD's on in the background. Not only can I easily fall asleep when they are playing quietly in the background but it helps you sleep and you wake up in a very pleasant atmosphere if the music is still playing quietly when you wake(you probably would need to rip them to your MP3 player to do that). It's like napping at a classical music concert without the worry of being nudged by your spouse or offending the other concert goers with your snoring. That will be quite a unique experience for you and possibly give you some real sweet dreams. It has for me

So to wrap it up this is very intelligent, uplifting music that is great for your mind and your soul. It is definitely worth the purchase if you are a fan of the Four Seasons and the Baroque genre in my novice classical music fan's opinion

Excellent, Broad Selection.......2007-01-25

This 40-cd collection affords me a rare pleasure almost daily: the thrill of hearing something new by Vivaldi. Despite my best efforts over the years, I've managed to miss hearing a lot of great works by the master. Listening to a single CD now and then, catching tunes on the radio... you can't possibly get a comprehensive understanding of Vivaldi's output that way.

But when you work your way systematically from CD 1 through 40, you're sure to find many pleasant surprises. I've been skipping through everything I already know -- in some cases, it has only taken me about a minute to get through a whole CD (first 3 seconds of each track is usually enough). But then I stop and listen carefully three or four times to anything that's new.

Ah, what a pleasure. I've already acquired some new favorites. And some old standbys have proved even more rewarding, e.g. at first I thought RV 127 (CD 7, tracks 10-12) was performed too slowly (Naxos No: 8.553742 is much faster), but now I'm not sure; maybe it's BETTER that way! I can't recommend this set highly enough.

$70....when was this???.......2006-11-25

Wish the cost was $70 now. Guess the record producer (or Amazon) got tired of making less than $2 per CD.

$70/40... you do the math........2006-04-07

No, I don't own this collection...yet. However, the price of the collection compels me to review it beforehand. Never have I seen such a complete collection of Vivaldi compositions at such an incredibly low price. At $1.75 dollars a CD, the record producer (Brilliant Classics) isn't making much of a profit. The compilation pulls some of its works from DG Achiv Produktion's vault (see Standage), such as the violin concertos, as well as from unknown producers (the Poland Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra is heavily featured). The collection is so complete that it is academic, and I would not be surprised if music libraries quickly emptied it from Amazon's shelves. The collection is simply worth it for the incredible price (English Concert's recording of the violin concertos cost nearly 30 bucks, and is exactly featured here). Overall, the price alone makes this collection exceptionally attractive, and the ensembles featured aren't bad either.

Average customer rating:

Outstanding Collection With Exquisite Vocals
Why is this beautiful set so low in Amazon sales?

Baroque Adagios
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

English | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Psalms | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music
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Guitar Adagios
Cello Adagios
Evening Adagios
Vivaldi Adagios
Violin Adagios

ASIN: B00005UWKY
Release Date: 2002-02-12

Tracks:

Pachelbel: Canon
Vivaldi: Winter: Largo
Albinoni: Adagio
Gluck: Dance of the blessed spirits (Orfeo)
Vivaldi: Guitar Concerto in D: Largo
Bach: Concerto for 2 violins in D minor
Marcello: Oboe Concerto in D minor
Vivaldi: Nisi Dominus: Cum dederit delectis
Handel: Concerto grosso in A minor: Larghetto affteuoso
Handel: Organ Concerto "The cuckoo and the nightingale": Larghetto
Bach: Sleepers awake (excerpt)
Tartini: "The Devil's Trill" Sonata: Larghetto affetuoso
Bach: Obo Concerto in F: Siciliano
vivaldi: Concerto for 2 oboesin D minor: Largo
Corelli: Concerto grosso in D: Largo
Bach: Keyboard Concerto in A: Larghetto
Bach: Goldberg Variations: Aria
Handel: Ombra mai fu (Largo) (Xerxes)
Vivaldi: Nulli in mundo pax sincera (excerpt)

Tracks:

Bach: Air on a G string: Orchestral Suite No. 3
Handel: Lascia ch'io pianga
Vivaldi: Spring: Largo
Bach: Keyboard Concerto in D: Adagio
Albinoni: Oboe Concerto in D minor: Adagio
Bach: Cello Sonata in G minor: Adagio
Handel: Concerto in B flat for Harp & 2 flutes: Larghetto
Bach: Violin Concerto in A minor: Andante
Bach: Brandenburh Concerto No. 5: Affetuoso
Pergolesi: Stabat Mater: Stabat Mater
Bach: Arioso: Cantata, BWV 156
Vivaldi: Concerto in G for 2 Mandolins: Andante
Bach: Concerto for Oboe & Violin: Adagio
Vivaldi: Autumn: Adagio molto
Telemann: Oboe Concerto in D minor: Adagio
Scarlatti/Avison: Concerto grosso in D: Largo
Vivaldi: Violin Concerto in A minor: Largo
Croft: Ground
Purcell: Dido's Lament (Dido and Aeneas)

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding Collection With Exquisite Vocals.......2005-09-18

I could not agree more with the review written by Frank T. Manheim. All I would add to his comments are that the recording quality is excellent, and that there are, amongst all of the wonderful selections on this CD, two vocal selections that I found deeply moving. On the first CD, there is a powerful, yet at the same time delicate performance of Vivaldi's In Nisi Dominus, by Andreas Scholl. I had never heard this selection of Vivaldi before buying this CD and don't have other performances to compare it to, but Scholl's performance was so moving, as was the accompaniment of the musical instruments on this track, that I listened to it several times in a row. I did the same with Janet Baker's performance of Dido's Lament, by Henry Purcell, on the second CD of this 2 CD set, listening to her haunting passionate voice over and over again. As with Vivaldi's In Nisi Dominus, I had never heard this composition, nor in fact any composition by Henry Purcell before buying this CD. The emotional depth and intensity that Janet Baker brings to her performance is very deeply moving. This is, fittingly, the last track on CD 2, ending this collection on a musical and emotional level, or rather, summit, that will leave you with eyes closed, thinking of the stars. As a result of having heard Janet Baker's performance on this compilation, I bought the full recording of Purcell's Dido and Aeneas. In fact, I bought several CDs of music by Henry Purcell after hearing Dido's Lament.

As Frank Manheim writes in his review, this CD can either be put on as background music, or it can be listened to intently, savoring every note. Although the title of this CD set has the work "Adagios" in it, this is no mere easy listening experience. There is plenty of musical passion on both CDs. This is a wonderful 2 CD set. I highly recommend it for anyone interested in classical, and especially, Baroque music.

Why is this beautiful set so low in Amazon sales? .......2005-09-15

While classical music is achieving a resurgence in the UK and Finland, in the U.S. the meager proportion of classical music among record store and department offerings still reflects classical's waning status. What we do find even in drugstores and supermarkets is inexpensive "mood" collections like "Romance", "Spring", "Melancholy", etc. I have no problem with this - some of the unnamed orchestras or soloists aren't bad although recording quality may disappoint.

"Baroque Adagios" is a big cut higher for both enjoyable listening, as well as background music for social occasions. The Baroque period simply overflows with memorable slow movement gems - both well-known, and rarely heard. The famous Italian tenor, Beniamino Gigli, confessed that many of his most favorite pieces came from the Italian baroque and earlier. Music of the earlier times combines emotional and melodic appeal with a restraint and depth that makes it wear well on many hearings. The only risk for background music is that the gorgeous melodies and resonant sonorities will draw people away from what they might otherwise do.

The choice of repertory is rich and varied, but this collection is particularly noteworthy for its long list of famous soloists and conductors. Besides Janos Starker, these include Heinz Holliger, Andras Schiff, Henryk Szeryng (in the Bach Double Concerto in D minor), Thurston Dart, Enrique Fernandez, Christopher Hogwood, Karl Munchinger, Neville Marriner, and many others.

I can think of few ways to better dissolve stress than to put this recording on a player and relax into a comfortable easy chair - or or put it into a car CD player on a longer trip. It makes a thoughtful present for both knowledgeable classic buffs and newcomers to classical music.

Handel - Carmelite Vespers 1707 / Feldman · Kirkby · Van Evera · M. Cable · M. Nichols · Cornwell · Thomas · Parrott

Average customer rating:

The Divine, the Delectable and the Disastrous
Fine voices, fine orchestra, lousy interpretation, bad recording
A vision of the future emerging from the past
Wonderful music - poor performance
Interesting

Handel - Carmelite Vespers 1707 / Feldman · Kirkby · Van Evera · M. Cable · M. Nichols · Cornwell · Thomas · Parrott
George Frideric Handel , Taverner Choir & Players , Andrew Parrott , Mary Nichols , Jill Feldman , Emma Kirkby , Emily Van Evera , Joseph Cornwell , Margaret Cable , and David Thomas
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Hymns | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Motets | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Psalms | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Kirkby, Emma | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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Handel: The Occasional Oratorio /Gritton * Milne * Bowman * Ainsley * George * The King's Consort * King

ASIN: B00000J2Q5
Release Date: 1999-06-08

Tracks:

Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Deus in adjutorium meum intende
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Antiphon I: Pulchra es et decora - Psalm I: Dixit Dominus
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Dixit Dominus Domino meo
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Virgam virtutis tuae
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Tecum principium
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Juravit Dominus
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Tu es sacerdos
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Dominus a dextris tuis
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: De torrente
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Gloria Patri
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Antiphon I: Pulchra es et decora
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Antiphon II: Sicut myrrha electa - Psalm II: Laudate pueri
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Laudate, pueri, Dominum
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Sit nomen Domini benedictum
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: A solis ortu
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Excelsus super omnes gentes Dominus
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Quis sicut Dominus Deus noster
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Suscitans a terra inopem
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Qui habitare facit sterilem in domo
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Gloria Patri
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Antiphon II: Sicut myrrha electa
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Antiphon III: In odorem
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Psalm III: Laetatus sum
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Te decus virgineum

Tracks:

Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Antiphon IV: Benedicta filia tua Domino - Psalm IV: Nisi Dominus
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Nisi Dominus aedificaverit domum
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Vanum est vobis ante lucem surgere
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Cum dederit dilectis suis somnum
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Sicut sagittae in manu potentis
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Beatus vir
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Gloria Patri
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Antiphon IV: Benedicta filia tua Domino
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Antiphon V: Speciosa facta es
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Psalm V: Lauda Jerusalem Dominum - subst. - Haec est Regina Virginum
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Haec est Regina Virginum
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Chapter: Ego quasi vitis
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Responsory: Christi Virgo dilectissima
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Hymn: Ave maris stella
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Ora pro nobis
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Magnificat Antiphon: Alma Redemptoris Mater
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Magnificat: Magnificat anima mea Dominum
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Saeviat tellus inter rigores
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Carmelitarum ut confirmet ordinem
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: O nox dulcis
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Stellae fidae
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Sub tantae Virginis tutela
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Alleluia
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Dominus vobiscum
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Benedicamus Domino - Antiphon of the Blessed Virgin: Salve Regina
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Salve, Regina, mater misericordiae
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Ad te clamamus
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Eia ergo, Advocata nostra
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: O clemens
Carmelite Vespers - Second Vespers Of The Feast Of Our Lady Of Mount Carmel: Ora pro nobis

Amazon.com

His own Lutheranism notwithstanding, Handel wrote some remarkable music for the Catholic liturgy while in Rome as a young man. In our era they've been performed in the concert hall--large-scale, multi-movement pieces such as the robust Dixit Dominus and the gracious Nisi Dominus in particular coming across as miniature oratorios. But they were, in fact, church music--as Andrew Parrott reminds us with this speculative reconstruction of a lavish 1707 Vespers service for which the young Handel provided music. The performance by Parrott and his Taverner groups is exhilarating. The Dixit Dominus in particular packs a real wallop. The contralto, tenor, and bass soloists do excellent work with their limited music, but Handel was obviously writing for star soprano castrati, and the real stars here are Parrott's three (female) soprano soloists. Jill Feldman wasn't in her best voice for this recording: her louder moments can sound a bit strained, but her softer singing is truly lovely and she rips through some forbidding coloratura. Emma Kirkby is, of course, a delight in Laudate pueri, and Emily van Evera sings superbly--her timing in the solemn opening and closing bars of the Salve Regina will have you on the edge of your seat. --Matthew Westphal

Customer Reviews:

The Divine, the Delectable and the Disastrous.......2007-04-03

George Frideric Handel (1685 - 1759): Carmelite Vespers 1707. Second Vespers of the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (as it might have been heard in Rome in July 1707 and containing seven motets by Handel embedded in appropriate Gregorian chant). Performed by Jill Feldman, Emma Kirkby, Emily Van Evera, soprano; Margaret Cable, Mary Nichols, alto; Joseph Cornwell, tenor; David Thomas, bass; The Taverner Choir; The Taverner Players; directed by Andrew Parrott. Recorded in June 1987 at St. Augustine's, Kilburn/London, England. First published 1989 by EMI; re-released in 1999 as Virgin Veritas 7243 5 61579 2 7. Total time: 2 hrs and a few seconds.

This is one of those speculative "reconstructions" of a historical occasion, this particular one being more speculative than most, as nobody really knows what part Handel played in the Roman Carmelite Vesper for 1707, nor whether his music was actually played there or not, nor if so, by whom, nor whether other composers were involved. Andrew Parrott and his team have decided for practical reasons to include all seven of Handel's extant Latin motets and to embed them in Gregorian chant appropriate for the occasion. I assume that it was also practical rather than theoretical considerations which led Parrott to use female singers rather than boy sopranos or countertenors for the soprano and alto parts - this is thoroughly unhistorical, but understandable as these parts would originally have been performed by "castrati" (who have, thank God, in the meantime died out).

The juxtapositioning of Handel's opulent music - even as a 22-year-old, his interest was mainly in opera - and the dull sobriety of counter-reformation chant can, I suppose, be seen as highlighting the modernity and brilliance of Handel's music, although personally I think I could have appreciated this without the labour of listening to Latin Marian antiphones. Parrott seems to want to emphasize the brilliance of Handel's music with fast tempi, but these tend to put the music under a certain pressure that I felt it could have done quite well without - Handel's music is so wonderful that a more deliberate dwelling on it would have been more than acceptable.

Of the soloists, it is the divine Emma Kirkby who, once again, shines like a star in the artistic universe: both her "Laudate, pueri" and "Haec est regina virginum" are absolute highlights of the set, my only query being as to the rather anglicized pronunciation of Italian ecclesiastical Latin. Others have criticized Jill Feldman ("Saeviat tellus") and felt her voice to be strained, but personally I felt her to be quite delectable, my only stricture being that the smallness of her voice would normally have required a completely different concept from the recording engineer (more on this in a moment). The other soloists fulfilled my expectations, and Emily Van Evera ("Salve Regina") exceeded them. The exception to this was bass David Thomas, who I'm afraid inspired me to use the word "disastrous" in the title of this review - I don't think I have ever heard him sound so hoarse and so unsensitive as he does here. Choir and orchestra are both very good, although I felt that the "Dixit Dominus" for all its drive did not come over as well as on the old Warner-Erato recording by John Eliot Gardiner and his Monteverdi Choir.

Having used the word "disastrous" I need to add two other points that made me feel that this CD set was very ambiguous. One is the engineering. The sound is realistic, for a big church, but distant, there being apparently no supporting microphones to pick out soloists. It may be a problem with my hardware, but I found listening in front of loudspeakers to be a trial, very unsatisfying, and I had almost given up when I changed to headphones and suddenly the whole acoustic seemed to come into focus (although even then there were softer passages when I felt that I would have loved to hear the soloists more loudly and clearly). I'm sure this sound was a deliberate decision by Andrew Parrott, but I really do feel that the kind of sound one can hear on many a studio recording would have been a better choice.

The other "disastrous" factor on this re-issue is the so-called "documentation". Not only are there no texts, but also no indications of who is singing when, no names of orchestra members, no indication of the instruments used and an accompanying essay of less than one page that I found to be thoroughly useless - it would have been simpler and more rewarding if Virgin had simply (with permission, of course) reprinted Stanley Sadie's review of the original issue from "Gramophone Magazine".

Fine voices, fine orchestra, lousy interpretation, bad recording.......2006-08-07

As with many recordings of this period of music, there is a shrillness to the sound that is at best off-putting. I got tired of it barely two sections in. I understand about period instruments and period performance technique and have sung many Handel works accordingly. Historical accuracy is important, yet in this recording many fine voices, including those of the chorus, seem wasted, sacrificed on the altar of a false sense of hisorical accuracy gone to the brink of charicature. The sound is dry and brittle, not at all full of the life that Handel breathed into all his work. Listen to several other recordings if you can, then preview some of the portions of this recording before you buy.

A vision of the future emerging from the past.......2004-05-07

This young man, only 22 in 1707, has composed here some of the most advanced Vespers of his time if not of all times. He covers an enormous musical range from Gregorian Antiphons to Bach's fugue style and a treatment of instruments and melodies that announces Mozart and all 18th century developments. He is a composer that is able to bring together the heritage of several centuries and the promises of his own time and even his future. He joins heritage and vision in music. What's more he gives to these Vespers a sound and charm that is in the tradition of the Renaissance : the vision of the Virgin is pure, happy, extremely brilliant, beautiful, and absolutely redeeming. No austere element comes into this picture to spoil it. It is Raphael's Virgin, the one we can only see in Dresden in Germany that is projected into our brains, ears, skulls and hearts. Handel is here at his best and yet he is only starting his career and many other bests will come. What's more Andrew Parrott conducts this music with flexibility, brilliance and more than gusto, real enthusiasm. Some wonder how Handel, a German Protestant, could compose such vespers to the Catholic Virgin and for a Catholic religious order. They just don't understand Handel. He is all-inclusive, he is able to absorb, dominate and transcend any style and objective. He knows that music is its own aim and target and not the religious intention. He knows, just like Monteverdi or Bach, that the best way to enhance any religious faith or belief is to provide it with the beauty of the most advanced and varied music one can invent and perform. These Vespers have to be considered as some of the best along with Monteverdi's and Vivaldi's. And they contain no sad lamentation, just the pleasure of knowing that redemption is at the tip of Mary's fingers, provided we can touch her heart. And this music must move her in the deepest layers of her love and care for human sinners, human beings, humanity. In other words this music is a milestone on the road to the Erklärung and the Enlightenment of the 18th century that will produce our modern world. It thus can become an inspiration for the new phase in which we have to navigate towards an ever more humane world. It reverbates with peace and human communion.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU

Wonderful music - poor performance.......2002-04-03

This has the potential to be a very fine recording - excellent soloists, amazing music - in fact Dixit, Saeviat Tellus, Laudate are some of Handel's finest music writing. Unfortunately the music is ridiculously rushed, with the feeling that Parrot was in a hurry to catch a bus or something and the result is very disappointing. There is little worse than inappropriate tempi (except for terrible playing or soloists), added to that, the playing is not particularly stylistic or musically intelligent, possibly due to the fast pace. In fact, the whole set seems to lack inherent expression and musicality, despite the calibre of the soloists. The finest Dixit I have heard was coupled with Laudate Pueri Dominum (also the finest I've heard) in a single disk with Isobel Buchanan, Anne Mackay, Michael Chance, William Kendall, Henry Hurford with the choir of King's College and Stephen Cleobury - A Decca disk. I'd go for that one!

Interesting.......2000-06-08

An interesting attempt at recreating the whole Vespers as it may have been (either Handel did not write a whole Vespers or it has not all come down to us). I liked the attempt: it really could have been that way.

I also liked the soloists and the choir and the orchestra. I did feel some of the tempos were a bit faster than was flattering to the soloists and the choir: it seemed they were SO fast that the notes could not even be sung well. And I generally like fast tempos especially by clear voices, as these are. I just felt the tempos were too fast at times. I, like the other reviewer, wanted printed texts included: how much can it cost to add two pages to the album liner?

Otherwise it's a fine recording that sheds an interesting light on some of Handel's early works.

Though these works are early pieces by Handel (from his brief sojourn in Italy) they show his genius as clearly as many of his more celebrated later works.

If you're a Handel devotee, like me, you might want to add this to your collection.

Monteverdi: Vespro Della Beata Vergine
Average customer rating:

Monteverdi's stunning resume piece

One of the Greatest Recordings of All Time

Eternally innovative in pure tradition

Great CD - where is the video?

Extraordinary

Monteverdi: Vespro Della Beata Vergine

Manufacturer: Archiv Produktion
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

All Works by Monteverdi | Monteverdi, Claudio | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B0000057DL
Release Date: 1990-10-12

Tracks:

Side 1 - 1. Versiculus & Responsorium: Deus In Adiutorium
Side 1 - 2. Psalums: Dixit Dominus
Side 1 - 3. Concerto: Nigra Sum
Side 1 - 4. Psalmus: Laudate Pueri
Side 1 - 5. Concerto: Pulchra Es
Side 1 - 6. Psalmus: Laetatus Sum
Side 2 - 7. Concerto: Duo Seraphim
Side 2 - 8. Psalmus: Nisi Dominus
Side 2 - 9. Concerto: Audi Coelum
Side 2 - 10. Psalmus: Lauda Jerusalem

Tracks:

Side 3 - 11. Sonata Sopra Sancta Maria
Side 3 - 12. Hymnus: Ave Maris Stella
Side 3 - 13a. Magnificat A 7/Magnificat/Anima Mea/Et Exultavit/Quia Respexit/Quia Fecit/Et Misericordia/Fecit Potentiam/Deposuit Potentes/Esurientes Implevit/Susepit Israel/Sicut Locutus Est/Gloria Patri Et Filio/Sicut Erat In Principio
Side 4 - 13b. Magnificat A 6/Magnificat/Anima Mea/Et Exultavit/Quia Respexit/Quia Fecit/Et Misericordia/Fecit Potentiam/Deposuit Potentes/Esurientes Implevit/Suscepit Israel/Sicut Locutus Est/Gloria Patri Et Filio/Sicut Erat In Principio

Amazon.com

John Eliot Gardiner's 1974 recording of Monteverdi's extraordinary Vespers of 1610 was a landmark, helping establish the modern reputations of both music and conductor. In 1989, to celebrate the silver anniversary of his Monteverdi Choir (named in honor of this work), he recorded the cycle again--this time live in the Basilica of San Marco in Venice. He made use of resources he didn't have 15 years earlier, like period instruments and, for soloists, a mix of early-music specialists (Ann Monoyios and Michael Chance) and opera singers (the young Bryn Terfel). As a bonus, he recorded both the standard version of the Magnificat for voices and instruments and Monteverdi's published alternative setting for six voices and organ. Gardiner gives a vigorous, theatrical, yet very detailed account of this music, caressing some phrases, thundering out others, using lots of carefully judged crescendos and decrescendos. On its terms, it works, thanks largely to the wondrous Monteverdi Choir, which can do anything asked of it. But there seems little of the sacred in the performance and almost nothing of the spontaneous or natural--the carefully calibrated effects can come across as overdetermined. In his booklet essay, Gardiner makes quite a point of his fidelity to the published score, yet he liberally adds instruments to double the voices, and he takes an odd liberty with the much-loved duet-trio "Duo seraphim": at the close of each half of the motet, at the words "plena est omnis terra," he has the tenors of his chorus take over from his soloists. If you're uncomfortable with that sort of thing, go for Andrew Parrott's marvelous one-singer-per-part performance or (for those who want a full chorus) for the version of William Christie or that of René Jacobs; if these additions don't faze you and you want a high-powered, adrenaline-rush performance, you'll find it here. --Matthew Westphal

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Monteverdi's stunning resume piece.......2006-10-22

What a job application. Looking for work around 1610, Claudio Monteverdi composed this massive work in hopes of Vatican employment. He even dedicated it to his anticipated future boss, Pope Paul V - kissing up has a long tradition in the Western world. Inexplicably, the Vatican wasn't moved. Instead, Monteverdi accepted the patronage of the Doge in Venice and became their Maestro di Capella in 1613. Whether or not this masterpiece ever received a public performance during his life remains controversial amongst music historians. Either way, it must have suitably padded his already impressive resume. So Monteverdi's arguably most famous work originated from a job search. Stranger things have happened.

"Vespro Della Beata Vergine" or "Vespers of 1610" follows the Roman Catholic structure for evening mass as laid out in the liturgical canonical hours (also known as "Vespers"; "Vesper" means "evening" in Latin). The first CD opens with the traditional chanted versicle (Deus in adiutorium meum intende, etc.) and suddenly explodes with a riveting choir belting out the doxology (Gloria Patri et Filio). Accompanying instrumentation adds to the effect. This work truly starts with an unforgettable bang. This helps emphasize the oft-repeated doxology (all of the succeeding Psalms conclude with this same stanza). Next, the work alternates between five Psalms and four Concertos, then continues with a sontata, a hymn, and finishes with an enthralling "Magnificat." Though the work's title explictly references the Virgin Mary, only two pieces revolve around her. Subsequently, some scholars have argued that this work could get structured around any Saint, and Monteverdi simply chose the Virgin Mary as a marketing ploy for the Vatican. Not only that, others dispute the location of the more secular Concertos. Two of these, "Nigra Sum" and "Pulchra Es" from "Song of Solomon", were probably a little saucy for religious works of the day. The ordering here follows the original manuscript.

Amazing music pervades these CDs. "Dixit Dominus" opens with ethereal singing, suggesting drifting angels or the clouds slowly parting. Then it fulminates like thunder as the choir sings the words of God: "Sit at my right hand, and I shall make of your enemies a footstool for you." "Laetatus sum" begins with a simple walking harpsichord line that recurs (one of Monteverdi's ritornellos), develops into dizzying choral arrangements, and concludes with a devastating "Amen." Though dancing probably wasn't intended, "Nisi Dominus" provides a sprightly enough rhythm to inspire any lazy feet, all the way to its final gentle resolution. "Ave maris stella" provides by far the most moving choral piece of the set. Ineffably ethereal notes levitate on air for nearly nine minutes. The final Magnificat remains stunning beyond words. This set includes two versions: one for seven parts and one for six.

John Eliot Gardiner was accused of taking liberties with Monteverdi's score. Apparently he embellished instrumentation and added voices for emphasis. Some even accused him of siphoning the sacred from the music. In other words, as Monteverdi straddled the Reniassance and the Baroque, this 1989 recording tips the scales in favor of highly charged Baroque. Those looking for a passionate interpretation of "Vespers" will find it here. Regardless, this release caused a surge in Gardiner's reputation as well as bolstering the then nascent authentic instrument movement. He could not have chosen a better recording locale: the gape-inducing Byzantine style St. Mark's Cathedral in Venice. Monteverdi's old stomping ground.

Monteverdi still doesn't have the name recognition of a Mozart or a Beethoven. Nonetheless, recordings such as this one doubtlessly helped direct attention to the once forgotten modernizer of Reniassance music. Recently, Monteverdi's name has experienced a rebirth. Many consider his "L'Orfeo" as the beginning of popular opera and his madrigals as the origin of modern song arrangement. His "Vespers" alone, sometimes equated to Bach's "St. Matthew Passion" and often called his most impressive work, should more than solidfy his name in the history of Western music for some time to come.

One of the Greatest Recordings of All Time.......2004-12-22

I discovered Monteverdi's Vespers of 1610 while listening to the radio in my car. I happened to flip to a channel playing the "Magnificat" and I was utterly mesmerized, haunted in fact by the sound until I chased down this CD.

This recording is both profounding beautiful and incredibly moving. You get a sense both of Monteverdi's great gifts as a composer, but also a sense of the sacred as well. Indeed, Monteverdi approached his subject matter with appropriate reverence and, it would seem, a bit of Divine inspiration. A tour of late-Renaissance/early-Baroque musical styles, the Vespers never bore, always providing yet another delightful surprise.

In short, this disc is a must for every music lover. If Monteverdi's Vespers doesn't touch you in some way, there's something wrong with you.

Eternally innovative in pure tradition.......2003-07-31

Monteverdi lived a very long time in a century deeply troubled by all kinds of ills and changes. The Black Death was still there. The christian religion was exploding into a myriad of rivaling churches and affiliations. Calvin fought against Luther and both were rejected by the catholics. It was also a time in which science started leaping forward, transforming the old traditional vision of teh world into something that opened the eyes of humanity to the universe. The earth suddenly became round and started turning around the sun. The new world had just been discovered and the old world was a battlefield for nations and kings or emperors, at times bishops and cardinals. It was a time of uncertainty because of change and it was dangerous to advocate that change a little bit too much. Giordano Bruno was grilled alive in Rome for his philosophy in 1600 and Galileo nearly died in a similar way. Many catholics or protestants were exterminating one another. A new form of art was also appearing, even in church music. Pope Paul V went as far as excomunicating that new art, the stilo nuovo.
Monteverdi tries to give a new grandeur to some religious celebrations to represent, to bring back a certain stability in this moving universe. These Vespers are typical of this attempt. He goes back to the traditional text of such vespers and yet he makes it tremendously modern. Modern with the strong evocation of the Virgin as a beautiful woman, what's more black with the famous Nigra sum, and yet that is also coming from the tradition. But he also tries to stabilize the musical world by using the stilo antico along with the stilo nuovo. The words and the singing often go back to the very rich gregorian polyphony of the stilo antico while the music, the instruments of it, the harmony of it are more in the line of the stilo nuovo. This attempt produces a music that opens the door to the development of what is known as baroque music issuing directly from the tremendous innovating style of the Renaissance.
These Vespers have thus become eternal, as the crossroads between ages, cultures, between the past, the present and the future. Monteverdi is in a way a man of his time but also of our time.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University of Perpignan

Great CD - where is the video?.......2002-02-15

Could we please get the video version on the DVD? I have the laserdisc but it would be great to have it remastered, perhaps even in multichannel audio? (hint, hint...)

Extraordinary.......2000-09-03

This is simply an extraordinary performance from both a documentary and aesthetic perspective.

Recorded at St. Mark's Basilica in Venice, where Monteverdi was composer-in-residence from 1613, the sound quality is outstanding. I've heard so many choral performances recorded in Renaissance churches that sound lost and empty. The engineers have done something special here -- they have produced a disc that SOUNDs like what I imagine a performance of the Vespers would have sounded to Monteverdi's ears.

The performances themselves are about the best I have heard from the Monteverdis and the soloists. Not one voice sounds out of harmony or rhythm, and not one instrument sounds a false not. That is almost unheard of in a live recording.

Tracks:

Magnificat
Et Exsultavit
Et Misericordia Eius
Fecit Potentiam
Deposuit Potentes
Esurientes
Suscepit Isreal
Sicut Locutus Est
Gloria
Lauda, Jersalem
Kyrie Eleison
Christe Eleison
Kyrie Eleison
Credo In Unum Deum
Et Incarnatus Est
Crucifixus
Et Resurrexit
Dixit Dominus
Donec Ponam
Vigram Virtutis Tuae
Tecum Principium
Luravit Dominus
Dominus A Dextris Tuis
Ludicabit In Nationibus
De Torrente In Via
Gloria
Sicut Erit In Principio

Tracks:

Allegro: In Furore Iustissimae Irae
Recitativo: Miserationem Pater Piissime
Largo: Tunc Meus Fletus Evadet Laetus
Allegro: Alleluia
Allegro: Longe Mala, Umbrae, Terrores
Recitativo: Recedite, Nubes Et Fulgura
Largo: Descende, O Caeli Vox
Allegro: Alleluia
Allegro: Clarae Stellae, Scintillate
Recitativo: Caeli Repleti Iam Novo Splendore
Allegro: Nunc Iubilare
Allegro: Alleluia
Allegro: Canta In Prato, Ride In Monte
Recitativo: Saeva Fulgescit Nobis
Allegro: Avenae Rusticae Sinceri Fervida Amoris
Allegro: Alleluia
Accompagnato: Filiae Maestae Jerusalem
Largo: Sileant Zephyri
Accompagnato: Sed Tenebris Diffusis
Larghetto: Nulla In Mundo Pax Sincera
Recitativo: Blando Colore Oculos Mundus Decepit
Allegro: Spirat Anguis
Allegro: Alleluia

Tracks:

Dixit Dominus
Donec Ponam Inimicos Tuos
Virgam Virturis Tuae
Tecum Principium
Iuravit Dominus
Dominus A Dextris Tuis
Indicabit In Nationibus
De Torrente In Via Bibet
Gloria Patri, Et Filio
Sicut Erat In Principio
Et In Saecula Saeculorum
Domine Ad Adiuvandum
Gloria Patri, Et Filio
Sicut Erat In Principio
Credidi Propter Qoud
Beatus Vir RV598
Beatus Vir
Potens In Terra
Antifona Beatus Vir
Gloria Et Divitiae
Antifona Beatus Vir
Exortum Est In Tendebris
Iucundus Homo
Antifona Beatus Vir
In Memoria Aeterna
Antifona Beatus Vir
Paratum Cor Eius
Peccator Videbit
Antifona Beatus Vir
Gloria Patri, Et Filio

Tracks:

Overture: Allegro
Overture: Largo
Coro Assyrian Soldiers Arma, Caedes, Vindicatae, Furores
Aria Holofernes Felix En Fausta Dies
Aria Holofernes Nil Arma, Nil Bella
Recitativo Vagaus Mi Dux, Domine Mi
Aria Vagus Matrona Inimica
Recitativo Holofernes Huc Accedat Matrona
Aria Juditha Qou Cum Patriae Me Ducit Amore
Recitativo Abra Ne Timeas Non
Aria Abra Vultus Tui Vago Splendori
Recitativo Abra Vide, Humilis Prostrata
Coro Vagus, Assyrian Solders
Recitativo Vagus Quem Vides Prope, Aspectu
Aria Vagus Quamvis Ferro Et Ense Gravis
Recitativo Holofernes Quid Cerno! Oculi Mei
Aria Juditha Quanto Magis Generosa
Recitativo Holofernes Magna, O Foemina, Petis
Aria Holofernes Magna, O Foemina, Petis
Recitativo Juditha, Tu Ludex Es, Tu Dominus, Tu Potens
Aria Juditha Agitata Infido Flatu
Recitativo Holofernes In Tentorio Supernae
Aria Con Coro Vagus, Servents O Servi, Volate
Recitantivo Vagus Tu Quoque Hebraica Ancilla
Aria Juditha Veni, Veni, Me Sequere Fida
Recitativo Abra Venio, Juditha, Venio: Animo Fave
Aria Abra Fulgeat Sol Frontis Decorae
Recitativo Abra In Urbe Interim Pia
Coro Bethulians Mundi Rector De Caelo Micanti

Tracks:

Recitativo Ozias Summi Regis In Mente
Aria Ozias O Sydera, O Stellae
Recitativo Ozia Iam Saevientis In Hostem
Recitativo Holofernes Nox In Umbra Dum Surgit
Aria Holofernes Nox Obscura Tenebrosa
Recitativo Holofernes Belligerae Meae Sorti
Aria Juditha Transit Aetas
Recitativo Holofernes Haec In Crastinum Serva: Ah, Nimis Vere
Aria Holofernes Noli, O Cara, Te Adorantis
Recitativo Juditha Tibi Dona Salutis
Coro Assyrian Soldiers Plena Nectare Non Mero
Recitativo Holofernes Tormenta Mentis Tuae Fugiant A Corde
Aria Juditha Vivat In Pace, Et Pax Regnet Sincera
Recitativo Juditha Sic In Pace Inter Hostes
Aria Vagaus Umbrae Carae, Aurae Adoratae
Aria Vagaus Quae Fortunata Es Tu Vaga Matrona
Aria Abra Non Ita Reducem
Recitativo Abra Iam Pergo, Postes Claudo
Accompagnato Juditha Summe Astrorum Creator
Aria Juditha In Somno Profundo
Accompagnato Juditha Impii, Indigni Trianni
Recitativo Juditha Abra, Abra, Accipe Munus
Aria Abra Si Fulgida Per Te Propitia Caeli Fax
Recitativo Vagaus Iam Non Procul Ab Axe
Aria Vagaus Armatae Face, Et Anguibus
Recitativo Ozias Quam Insolita Luce
Aria Ozias Gaude Felix
Accompagnato Ozias Ita Decreto Aeterno
Coro Judeans Salve, Invicta Juditha, Formosa

Tracks:

Aria In Turbato Mare Irato
Recitativo Splende Serena, O Lux Amata
Aria Respende, Bella
Alleluia
Recitativo Non In Pratis Aut In Hortis
Adagio Ibi Spinis Confixus
Aria Pro Me Caput Spinas Habet
Recitativo Quaesone facias, Domine
Largo Stabat Mater Dolorosa
Adagissimo Cuius Animam Gementem
Andante O Quam Tristis Et Afflicta
Largo Quis Est Homo, Qui Non Fleret
Adagissimo Quis Non Posset Contristari
Adante Pro Peccatis Suae Gentis
Largo Eia Mater, Fons Amoris
Lento Fac Ut Ardeat Cor Meum
Allegro Amen
Aria O Qui Caeli Terraque Serentias
Recitativo Fac Ut Sordescat Tellus
Aria Rosa Quae Moritur
Alleluia
Deus Tuorum Militum
Allegro Confitebor Tibi, Domine, In Toto Corde Meo
Allegro Memoriam Fecit Mirabilium Suorum
Andante Sanctum Et Terribile Nomen Eius
Allegro Intellectus Bonus Omnibus Facientibus Eum
Allegro Gloria Patri, et Filio
Allegro Et In Saecula Saeculorum

Tracks:

Allegro Beatus Vir
Allegro Gloria Et Divitiae
Beatus Vir
Andante Molto Exortum Est In tenebris
Beatus Vir
Allegro Lucundus Homo
Beatus Vir
Andante Molto In memoria Aeterna
Beatus Vir
Andante Paratum Cor Eius
Beatus Vir
Andante Dispersit, Dedit Pauperibus
Beatus Vir
Largo Peccator Videbit
Allegro Gloria Patri, Et Filio
Andante Salve Regina
Allegro Ad Te Clamamus
Allegro Eia Ergo
Andante Et Jesum
Laudate Dominum
In Exitu Israel
Allegro Nisi Dominus
Largo Vanum Est Vobis
Presto - Adagio Surgite
Andante Cum dederit
Allegro Sicut Sagittae
Andante Beatus Vir
Larghetto Gloria
Allegro Sicut Erat In Principio
Allegro Amen

Tracks:

Laetatus Sum
Laudate Pueri Dominum
Sit Nomen Domini
Usque Ad Occasum
Excelsus Super Omnes Gentes
Suscitans A terra Inopem
Ut Collocet Eum
Gloria Patri (I)
Gloria Patri (II)
Amen
Vestro Principi Divino
O felix Culpa
Quid Loqueris Ad Cor
Alleluia
Jubilate, O Amoeni Chori
In Tam ASolemni Pompa
Sonoro Modulamine: Gloria In Excelsis Deo
Et In Terra Pax Hominibus
Laudamus Te
Gratias Agimus Tibi
Domine Deus, Rex Caelestis
Domine Fili Unigenite
Domine Deus, Agnus Dei
Qui Tollis Peccata Mundi
Qui Sedes Ad Dexteram Patris
Quoniam To Solus Santus
Cum Sancto Spiritu

Tracks:

Sum In Medio Tempestatum
Quid Ergo Faciam
Semper Maesta
Alleluia
Laudate Pueri, Dominum
Sit Nomen Domini
A solis Ortu Usque Ad Occasum
Excelsus Super Omnes Gentes
Quis Sicut Dominus
Suscitans A Terra Inopem
Ut Collocet Aum
Gloria Patri
Laudate Pueri: Sicut Erat In Principio
Amen
Cur Sagittas, Cur Tela
Hostibus Circumventa
In Te, Beate Pater
Sanctorum Meritis
Salve Regina
Ad Te Clamamus
Ad Te Suspirmus
Eia Ergo Advocata
Et Jesum Benedictum
O Clemens, O Pia

Tracks:

Laudate Pueri Dominum
A Solis Ortu
Excelsus Super Omnes
Sit Nomen Domini
Suscitans A Terra
Ut Collocet Eum
Sit Nomen Domini
Gloria Patri
Sicut Erat In Principio
Salve Regina
Ad te Clamamus
Ad Te Suspiramus
Eia ergo Advocata
Et Jesum Benedictum
O Clemens, O Pia
Accende Laeta
Quam Pulchri
Sternite, Angeli
Gaude Mater Ecclesia
Vos Aurae Per Montes
Cuncta Orbis
Tellus, Astra
Alleluia
Gloria Patri (From Laudate Pueri)

Tracks:

Gloria In Excelsis Deo
Et In Terra Pax
Laudamus Te
Gratias Agimus Tibi
Propter Magnam Gloriam Tuam
Domine Deus, Rex Caelestis
Domine Fili Unigenite
domine Deus, Agnus Dei
Qui Tollis Peccata Mundi
Qui Sedes Ad Dexteram Patris
Quoniam to Solus Sanctus
Cum Sancto Spiritu
Nisi Dominus Aedificaverit
Nisi Dominus Custodierit
Vanum Est Vobis
Cum Dederit
Sicut Sagittae
Beatus Vir
Gloria Patri
Sicut Erat In Prencipio
Ostro Picta
Sic Transiit
Linguis Favete
Gloria In Excelsis Deo
Et In Terra pax
Laudamus Te
Gratias Agimus Tibi
Domine Deus, Rex Caelestis
Domine Fili Unigenite
Domine Deus, Agnus Dei
Qui Tollis Peccata Mundi
Qui Sedes Ad Dexteram Patris
Quoniam Tu Solus Sanctus
Cum Sancto Spiritu

Average customer rating:

a voice teacher and early music fan
Thank God for Andreas Scholl
The most amazing voice!
Seraphic
Andreas Scholl sings Vivaldi

Vivaldi: Nisi Dominus; Motets

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Andreas Scholl - German Baroque Songs

ASIN: B00004TL0M
Release Date: 2000-06-13

Tracks:

Nisi Dominus, RV 608: Nisi Dominus : Allegro
Nisi Dominus, RV 608: Vanum Est Vobis : Largo
Nisi Dominus, RV 608: Surgite Postquam Sederitis : Presto
Nisi Dominus, RV 608: Cum Dederit Delectis Suis Somnum
Nisi Dominus, RV 608: Sicut Sagittae In Manu Potentis : Largo
Nisi Dominus, RV 608: Beatus Vir Qui Implevit : Andante
Nisi Dominus, RV 608: Gloria Patri : Larghetto
Nisi Dominus, RV 608: Sicut Erat In Principio : Allegro
Nisi Dominus, RV 608: Amen : Allegro
Concerto For Strings In F Major, RV 141: Allegro Molto
Concerto For Strings In F Major, RV 141: Andante Molto
Concerto For Strings In F Major, RV 141: Allegro Molto
Clarae stellae, scintillate, RV 625: Clarae Stellae, Scintillate : Allegro
Clarae stellae, scintillate, RV 625: Coeli Repleti Iam Novo Splendore : Recitativo
Clarae stellae, scintillate, RV 625: Nunc Iubilare : Allegro
Clarae stellae, scintillate, RV 625: Alleluia : Allegro
Concerto For Strings In C Major, RV 109: Allegro
Concerto For Strings In C Major, RV 109: Adagio
Concerto For Strings In C Major, RV 109: Allegro Molto
Vestro Principi divino, RV 633: Vestro Principi Divino : Allegro
Vestro Principi divino, RV 633: I Felix Culpa : Recitativo
Vestro Principi divino, RV 633: Quid Loqueris Ad Cor : Presto
Vestro Principi divino, RV 633: Alleluia : Presto
Salve Regina, RV 616: Salve Regina : Andante
Salve Regina, RV 616: Ad Te Clamamus : Allegro
Salve Regina, RV 616: Ad Te Suspiramus : Larghetto
Salve Regina, RV 616: Eia Ergo : Allegro
Salve Regina, RV 616: Et Jesum : Andante Molto
Salve Regina, RV 616: O Clemens : Andante

Amazon.com

From the earliest planning stages for this recording, Andreas Scholl had only one orchestra in mind: the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra. It's no surprise that Decca was skittish about the idea--there are, after all, many good baroque-instrument bands much closer to London--yet the star countertenor insisted that his rapport with this group was special and that it would be well worth the trouble to make the record in Sydney. Well, from the very first notes, it's clear that Scholl was right: conductor Paul Dyer and the ABO launch into the opening of Nisi Dominus with an energetic gusto that you'd sooner expect from Rinaldo Alessandrini's Concerto Italiano than from an Anglo-Saxon band. Scholl responds in kind: his vocalism is as smooth, clear, and assured as ever, but he goes beyond that--his innumerable subtle inflections of tone and timing are more reminiscent of a good orator than an opera singer. The up-tempo arias are exciting, with high-precision coloratura; Clarae stellae, a cheerful solo motet that lacks flashy vocal fireworks, gets a wonderfully insouciant little bounce. Yet the real magic is in the soft, slow arias, where Scholl and his colleagues create an almost palpable sense of wonder (slightly tinged with tension) and hold a listener in thrall as surely as an expert storyteller. Let's hope these artists make more recordings together--and that (with luck) they'll all be as marvelous as this one. --Matthew Westphal

Customer Reviews:

a voice teacher and early music fan.......2006-11-07

About half of Vivaldi's sacred vocal music was written for solo voice. His 'Nisi Domimus' in G minor,RV608, is a comparatively rare example of a Vesper psalm set for solo voice. It is not known for what occasion this was composed, but the setting is remarkable for its variety of style and mood. The 'Salve Regina' in C minor,RV616,is one of two settings for alto and double orchestra. The liturgical text for this delicately beautiful composition belongs to one of the four Great Antiphons sung at the end of Vespers. "Clarie stellae,scintillate,Rv625" is a motet written for performance on the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (July 2). "Vestro Principi divino",RV633, is an exhortation to receive the risen Christ, written for performance at the close of Holy Week. The recording also includes two concerti a quattro(concertos for strings in four parts). To my mind, Paul Dyer and the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra do a fine job interpreting and performing the music of Vivaldi. While Andreas Scholl does his usual accurate and good singing, keep in mind that there are other countertenors who have recorded this music, particularly the 'Salve Regina' and the 'Nisi Dominus'. They are Michael Chance and David Daniels, who also do a very fine job of it. I think it does depend on which type of countertenor you prefer.

Thank God for Andreas Scholl.......2005-06-20

I place Andreas Scholl in the same stratosphere as Joan Sutherland and Montserrat Caballe, artists that at their very best can make you weep with joy.

This recital came after Scholl's debut recital for Decca, called Heroes. It seems that with Heroes, Andreas was trying to adopt a more vibrato-laden, operatic style. Those familiar with his earlier recordings for Harmonia Mundi undoubtedly noticed the difference. I, for one, was not quite happy with the "new" Scholl; however, with this recital, he reminded all of us what all the fuss was about.

The past year has witnessed an awakened interest in Vivaldi's music, particularly his operas. This recital, Nisi Dominus, features religious music, and it is utterly sublime. The moods range from dark and pensive to jubilant, and Andreas Scholl captures each one perfectly. The voice is like liquid gold.

I strongly urge anyone with a taste for Vivaldi to discover this recital.

The most amazing voice!.......2001-11-11

I first heard Andreas Scholl's voice from my roommate's copy of Pergolesi's Stabat Mater and was totally captivated by Mr. Scholl's amazing voice. I went out and bought this CD and was not at all disappointed. The Nisi Dominus pieces are just amazing. In fact, I liked it so much I went out and bought more of Andreas Scholl's CDs. I highly recommend this CD to everyone.

Seraphic.......2001-01-08

The James Bowman/Academy of Ancient Music/Christopher Hogwood recording of Vivaldi's "Nisi Dominus" has been the unassailably supreme amongst many since the late 1970s - now it has been brutally and irretrievably summoned to contest by this beguiling recording of Andreas Scholl. Lie down, close your eyes, be still, empty your mind, and then listen to track 4 ("Cum dederit delictis suis somnum ...."). This is probably what mediaeval theologians would have described as an instance of celestial "irruption" into our dreary temporal existence. In this passage Andreas Scholl sounds like an angel from the most exalted realms of heaven - he manifests a truly preternatural musical instinct and understanding that beggars the imagination and overwhelms even after repeated listening.

Andreas Scholl sings Vivaldi.......2000-10-30

This is the best record Andreas Scholl made until now. Listen to his records of 1997 or earlier, you can clearly hear how much he has developed his voice and technics. Andreas is a great talent, I wonder how good he will get within the coming ten years. The combination with the Paul Dyer orcherstra is very nice. Andreas is a worthy new member of the 'Vlaamse school' of which Philippe Herreweghe is the most prominent. Andreas has developed is own style and still is perfecting this, he does withstand the temptation to sing in some old fashioned Italian opera like style. One setback is the technical quality of the recording. Although the recording sound quality is very good, the recording level is about 20 dB too low. On many cd-players the output is so low that the sound is not optimal due to unideal sound level / noise curves. On some cd-players the cd will not play at all, specially the German pressing, the USA one is slightly better. Hans Hilberink.

Vivaldi: Stabat Mater, Nisi Dominus, Longe Mala

Average customer rating:

Vivid Vivaldi - Daniels, Europa Galante Partner Triumphantly
Sublime (As Usual)
The Stabat Mater performance is wanting....
A grotesque parody of the female voice
Stylish performances from a fruitful collaboration

Vivaldi: Stabat Mater, Nisi Dominus, Longe Mala
David Daniels , Fabio Biondi , Antonio Vivaldi , and Europa Galante
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00005A9NJ
Release Date: 2002-01-08

Tracks:

Stabat Mater: Stabat Mater dolorossa
Stabat Mater: Cujus animam
Stabat Mater: O quam tristis
Stabat Mater: Quis est homo
Stabat Mater: Quis non posset
Stabat Mater: Pro peccatis
Stabat Mater: Eja Mater
Stabat Mater: Fac ut ardeat
Stabat Mater: Amen
Nisi Dominus: Nisi Dominus
Nisi Dominus: Vanum est vobis
Nisi Dominus: Surgite postquam sederitis
Nisi Dominus: Cum dederit dilectis
Nisi Dominus: Sicut sagittae
Nisi Dominus: Beatus vir
Nisi Dominus: Gloria Patri
Nisi Dominus: Sicut erat
Nisi Dominus: Amen
Longe mala, umbrae, terrores: Longe mala, umbrae, terrores
Longe mala, umbrae, terrores: Recedite, nubes et fulgura
Longe mala, umbrae, terrores: Descende, o coeli vox
Longe mala, umbrae, terrores: Alleluia

Amazon.com

Anyone familiar with Vivaldi only through his innumerable concertos (which are, unjustly, often accused of sounding alike) will be surprised by this recording. Vivaldi, in fact, composed a lot of vocal music, both sacred and secular, and wrote for voices no less skillfully than for instruments. The three works presented here, for alto, solo strings, and organ, are utterly beautiful and completely different in character, mood, and feeling.

The "Stabat Mater" is most substantial. Alternating recitatives and arias, often framed by instrumental ritornellos, it is heartbreakingly mournful, but ends peacefully before closing with a whole aria on "Amen." The other two works are real bravura pieces for the singer. They cover an enormous range and are full of florid coloratura passages and wide leaps. "Nisi Dominus" is very dramatic, with mysterious chromatic lines and big climaxes; "Longe mala" goes from defiant vehemence through fervent entreaty to serene resignation.

The performances are fabulous. David Daniels's voice has a pure, unearthly beauty and is perfectly even in quality across a huge range. Every note is meticulously placed and in tune, his breath control is incredible, his stylistic and emotional identification with the music complete. The musicians of Europa Galante support him splendidly, not as an accompanying group, but as true partners, playing with a lovely sound, imaginative ornamentation, and great expressiveness. The record's only flaw is that Daniels's breathing is clearly audible; he must have stood too close to the microphone. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

Vivid Vivaldi - Daniels, Europa Galante Partner Triumphantly.......2004-08-09

Countertenor David Daniels has no problem showcasing his versatility, as he joins forces this time with the seven-man ensemble Europa Galante, led by violinist Fabio Biondi, to provide a wonderfully satisfying performance of these three works by Vivaldi. Like most people who are not well versed in classical music, my only familiarity with Vivaldi prior to this recording was the omnipresent "The Four Seasons", even though he wrote over 500 concertos. That's why this disc is an important addition to any classical music library, as it represents a composer who displayed a strong sense of instruments producing sound color and musical effects of great beauty. When you add the incomparable Daniels to the mix, then the beauty of these works becomes enhanced exponentially.

The disc has the intimate feel of a chamber music recital, and the result is nothing short of a revelation. It paints a broad landscape of moods and textures ranging from the deeply melancholy and religious "Stabat Mater" to the nearly operatic "Longe mala". With the "Stabat Mater", one can almost see the Virgin Mary sitting at the base of the cross. My personal favorite is "Nisi Dominus", which Vivaldi wrote for an especially talented orphan girl to sing on the anniversary of the conservatory at which he taught, the Ospedale della Pietà. This piece allows Daniels to show his dramatic flair in a heartfelt expression of emotions - vigorous awe, sorrow and joy. His uncanny combination of a rich coloratura and a warm, honey-toned timbre allows him to stand head and shoulders above his countertenor brethren. What Daniels does so well is make an otherwise unearthly sound completely natural, and his incredibly flexible legato never feels out of control. Simply compare the ending "Amen" and "Alleluia" arias of the three pieces to gain a full appreciation of what this astounding singer can do with just one word.

To say that Europa Galante simply accompanies Daniels would be a complete understatement, as their instruments appear to be full-fledged partners to his vocals. The coupling works beautifully, especially the string section, which appears to match his vocal intensity note for note. The collaboration makes for a breathtaking recording and yet another impressive milestone in the career of David Daniels.

Sublime (As Usual).......2002-09-27

Having purchased the Scholl version when it was released I must admit to having been a little disappointed. Then came the Daniels' rendition and I realized that, when this particular singer sings, there is little one can do but sit back and let the wonderful, unearthly quality of his voice wash over you. Daniels is an exexceptional singer and this is a wonderful recording. He is admirably accompanied by Fabio Biondi.

The Stabat Mater performance is wanting...........2002-08-14

While I have enjoyed David Daniels' previous works like the Handel operatic arias and his lieder album Serenade, I can't say the same for this Vivaldi release. Having owned Andreas Scholl's Harmonia Mundi recording of the Stabat Mater for several years (and dozens of listening, literally), Daniels' interpretation falls horribly flat to my ear. His voice is not as ethereal or light in the "female" register as you'd expect from a countertenor. His voice is indeed too heavy and unfocused, especially if you're familiar with Scholl's clarity and soaring high notes. The Nisi Dominus and Longe Mala are worthy performances, but I have to give this 3 stars not 4 or 5. If you're looking for the most "authentic" countertenor performance of the Stabat Mater, seek out Andreas Scholl's which features two other cantatas as well.

A grotesque parody of the female voice.......2002-02-20

In the past I owned a version of this that was stunningly beautiful, but accidently mixed it in with a batch of CDs to be sold..., so I assumed this full priced version would be wonderful. I found that the pacing dragged badly and that Daniels voice (which others rave about) was such a grotesque parody of the female voice that I couldn't stay in the room with it. If you like Vogueing you might like this. Listen carefully to make sure you really like this everpresent voice. I love contertenor singing, but I could not abide this. I would prefer something like Rutter did in his fabulous Requiem instead. I realize this might be a matter of individual taste, but to me this is one of the most unlistenable classical albums I have ever bought.

Stylish performances from a fruitful collaboration.......2002-01-12

David Daniels is really a wonder! While the voice of counter tenors is by its nature rather androgynous, there is something both alluring and masculine in Daniels's tone. The so-called "counter-tenor hoot" is largely absent and his sizable voice is vibrant and evenly produced throughout a considerable
range. Daniels is also sensitive towards the words and any variation in musical dynamics and he is willing (and able) to vary the colour of his voice to suit the different musical and textual needs (quite difficult for a falsettist). This makes his interpretation of the 3 sacred works included in this CD both vivid and heart-felt. I would also mention that his breath control is excellent and his coloratura facility quite astounding. (The florid runs in some of the sections would probably tax even the most accomplished of mezzo-sopranos, and yet Daniels is able to toss them off fluently and with great elan.) What charismatic singing!

Fabio Biondi's playing of the violin and viola d'amore and the accompaniment of the Europa Biondi are delightful! Not only are they most musical and alert, they and Daniels work as close partners, each echoing the other's musical inflections. Their embellishments are both interesting and stylish. The music sounds freshly-minted under their combined hands (voices), and there is also a sense of grace and nobility in the performances, which is appropriate for this type of music. The good recording quality further enhances the effect of their fruitful collaboration.

This reviewer does not profess to know much about baroque performance practices, and therefore he cannot say whether the interpretations here are correct or not from an academic perspective. Nevertheless, this release has given me huge pleasure. Do check it out!

Psalms of David Complete
Average customer rating:

Brilliant Recordings

A- for effort

What can you say?

Psalms of David Complete
Choir of St Paul's Cathedral , and Scott
Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00006GO6J
Release Date: 2002-10-08

Amazon.com

This complete 12-disc survey of The Psalms of David from St. Paul's Cathedral is both a remarkable historical record of Anglican chant at its finest and an astonishing musical experience. Contained here are all 150 psalms in their traditional English garb from the 1549 Book of Common Prayer, with revised or entirely new musical settings as published in The New St. Paul's Cathedral Psalter, edited by the choir's musical director John Scott, itself a revision of the 1875 Cathedral Psalter. As such, these recordings represent the very backbone of the Anglican liturgy, but even a casual listener will be in no doubt that they also offer music that is both