Search - Durufle, Daniel Parkes, Ian Machacek :: Durufle: Requiem

Quite a mixed bag

R. Gregory Capaldini | Arlington, VA United States | 02/11/2009

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Here's yet another well-stocked disc of Maurice Durufle's chant-inspired music. The musicians of Magdalen College have opted for the small-orchestra accompaniment for the Requiem, the composer's favorite version and, in some ways, the best alternative for church performance. There is refreshingly un-bland choral singing, solid contributions by the baritone, and a particularly spiffy Pie Jesu solo by an up-and-coming countertenor.



But too many of conductor Bill Ives's tempos are annoyingly rushed, the organ at Magdalen is pitiably overpowered by a small group of strings (3-3-3-2-1), and the trumpets somehow sound wrong in the first climax of the Offertory. Moreover, the other major work, the "Cum Jubilo" Mass, is disappointingly accompanied by organ alone (it too has both full and reduced orchestrations available) and I'm unimpressed with the tenor's solos.



There are a couple rarely-played solo organ works here that some specialists will appreciate, also a solid performance of the Gregorian-themed Motets for choir alone. But for the two major works you're far better off with Keene and company on Delos."