Search - Cantori Gregoriani, La Reverdie :: La Nuit De Saint Nicholas

Superb Reconstruction

Leslie Richford | Selsingen, Lower Saxony | 10/09/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

""La nuit de Saint Nicholas" was recorded in Modena, Italy, in April and May 1998, the recording venue being a slightly echoey church. Fulvio Rampi and Roberto Spremulli bring together the all-male I Cantori Gregoriani and the mostly female La Reverdie to produce a "service" celebrating the life and miracles of St. Nicholas, the 4th century bishop who, in the course of history, has mutated and become "Father Christmas" or "Santa Claus". The conception of the disc reminds one of one of La Reverdie's earlier discs, "Historia Sancti Eadmundi" Historia Sancti Eadmundi - De la liturgie dramatique au drame liturgique (The Story of Saint Edmund - From dramatic liturgy to liturgical drama): the greater part of the disc consists of Gregorian chant either in unison or by a solo voice (male or female). The chant is interrupted by "readings" telling of the life and miracles of Nicholas, these being either chanted or read (in medieval Latin) by Ella de' Mircovich. Some pieces are accompanied by psalterium, fiddle, harp, cithara teutonica, percussion and/or bells. The high point of the recording is, in my opinion, the glorious Organum "Ex eius tumba" (Tr. 12) whose close harmonies can really send a chill down your spine! The CD closes with a delightful version of "Sainte Nicolas Godes druth" by St. Godric of Finchale which far outshines the version by Benjamin Bagby's Sequentia on Deutsche Harmonia Mundi. - As usual with La Reverdie, there is a luxuriously printed booklet with copious notes, this time both by Ella de' Mircovich (on the legends surrounding St. Nicholas) and by Fulvio Rampi on the sung music; unfortunately, the English translations seem too literal in places, making for long and complicated sentences which need to be read several times if you want to gather the sense. The recorded sound is excellent. 74 minutes playing time."

Beautifully Executed

J. Burton | 05/17/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Roberto Spremulli directs La Reverdie with I Cantori Gregoriani led by Fulvio Rampi in a recording of mostly chants from the Office focusing on St. Nicholas. The recording is a condensed version of Matins, properly structured to include antiphons with psalms and lessons with responsories.



"...beautifully executed....recommended." (J.F.Weber - Fanfare)



The works on this recording:



All are anonymous unless otherwise indicated

1. Invitatorium: Adoremus Regem seculorum

2. Antiphona: Nobillissimis siquidem natalibus

3. Antiphona: Pudore bono repletus & Psalmus III

4. Antiphona: Auro virginum incestus & Psalmus IV

5. Lectio

6. Responsorium: Quiam die tempestate / Mox illis clamantibus

7. Instrumental piece: Vox de celo

8. Lectio (Jacopo de Voragine, 1230-1298)

9. Responsorium: Confessor Dei Nicholaus / Erat enim valde compaciens

10. Lectio (Paul the Deacon, c725-799)

11. Responsorium: Ex eius tumba / Catervatim & Prosa: Sospitati dedit egros

12. Organum: Ex eius tumba

13. Antiphona: O per omnia laudabilem virum & Psalmus CL

14. Resposorium: Qui cum audissent / Clara quippe voce

15. Antiphona: Copiose caritatis Nicholæ & Benedictus

16. Atiphona: O Christi pietas & Magnificat

17. Oracio & Sainte Nicolas Godes druth"