Search - King's College Choir :: Palestrina: Masses

Welcome re-release

Dr. Frederick B. Engle | Morehead, Kentucky United States | 01/14/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Nowadays, when the same familiar recordings seem to be repackaged and rereleased again and again in different compilations, it's always a welcome treat when an old LP-era, long unavailable recording finally arrives in CD format. Believe it or not, there are a few recordings by King's College Choir that have never been released on CD, and two vintage Palestrina mass releases, the Missa Brevis under Willcocks and Missa Ave Maria under Ledger, here finally have been released on CD, alongside a mass and motets that have been available for some time. These are classic King's performances--smooth, pure and measured. Let's hope EMI and Decca raid their vaults again soon, for more "lost" (if not forgotten) recordings."

A voice teacher and early music fan

George Peabody | Planet Earth | 11/28/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"TIMELESS AND ENDURING MUSIC OF PALESTRINA PERFORMED WITH PERFECTION BY THE KING'S COLLEGE CHOIR.



The reputation of Giovanno Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525-1594) was greatly enhanced by the high proportion of his works published during his lifetime: six books of masses and 250-odd motets. The recordings on this album reflect both the eloquent simplicity of his work and the fervent strength of his faith.



From the age of 11, when Palestrina became a choir boy in Rome, until he died, the church was a permanent backdrop for the drama of his life. In the dedication of his 'First Book of Motets' in 1563, he wrote: " The Function of music in the church is the seasoning of devotion by the added delight of sweetness of song and variety of harmony. The sharper blame therefore do those deserve who misemploy so great and splendid a gift of God in light or unworthy thing...."



Therefore, in all the long list of masses, madrigals and motets, there is not one that is cheap or unworthy. Purity and clarity, comparative brevity and simplicity, polyphony used with judicious reserve, the banishing of secular elements from his music are the qualities certainly well demonstrated in the collection on these two CD's.



The recordings brought together on this album reflect both the eloquent simplicity of Palestrina's work as well as the fervent strength of his faith. 'Missa Hodie Christus natus est' is a glorous sounding Mass scored for double choir written for performance on Christmas Day. The clear setting of sacred word and careful balance of voice was already present in an earlier work, the 'Missa Brevis', published in 1750. It continued to shine in such refined late pieces as the 'Missa Ave Maria', which appeared in print two years after his death.



This recording involves three different recording dates, the first one in 1970 performing 'Missa Papae Marcelli' and 'Missa Brevis' under the direction of Sir David Willcocks. The second date 1977 includes 'Missa Hodie Christus Natus est', 'Hodie Christus natus est', 'Canite tuba', 'Ave Maria', 'Tul sunt caeli' and 'O Magnum Mysterium' (Sir Philip Ledger. This 1977 portion has been previously released on a recording entitled: 'Missa Hodie Christus Natus Est and Six Motets' which is available on the Marketplace. It does not include the 1979 session of the 'Missa Ave Maria'. The third date 1979 is 'Missa Ave Maria' also conducted by Ledger. What a great compilation of Palestrina's wonderful music!!!



As to the performance of the King's College Choir: perfection with clear voiced boy sopranos, velvet toned male altos, tuneful tenor, resonant basses all singing with flawless diction and that extra something that all the King's College choirs have. A most enjoyable listening experience."

Outstanding Choral Music

Paul Wiese | Vacaville, California, US | 03/15/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I knew very little about Palestrina's music when I ordered this album. I am delighted with the beauty of the music, the quality of the performance and the clarity of the sound. Highly recommended."