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Special offer. Charpentier - Mass for Four Choirs & other works
Ex Cathedra choir and orchestra, Jeffrey Skidmore
Awards:
-
Building a Library, May 2004, Highly Recommended
The blend of the vocal lines is superb and the handling of ornament little short of breathtaking.
Special offer. Charpentier - Mass for Four Choirs & other works
Ex Cathedra choir and orchestra, Jeffrey Skidmore
Purchase product
Awards:
-
Building a Library, May 2004, Highly Recommended
The blend of the vocal lines is superb and the handling of ornament little short of breathtaking.
About
A contemporary of Lully and Lalande, Charpentier was something of an outsider to the French court of Louis XIV, something which helps to explain his comparative obscurity since his death in 1704. A period of study in Rome doubtless gave Charpentier exposure to the polychoral style long-established from the time of Gabrieli, and this spirited new recording from Ex Cathedra presents the triple-choir Salve regina alongside the opulent Massfor four separate choirs. The possibilities opened up by such a wealth of musicians engender music which seems as close to the proverbial choir of the angels of heaven as could be desired. The disc also includes Salut de la veille des O, a setting of the seven antiphons for Christmas imploring God to come and save the earth, and the dramatic mini-oratorio La reniement de St Pierre, telling of Peters frantic denials of Christ before the inevitable crowing of the cock. Performances by the soloists, choir and orchestra of Ex Cathedra perfectly capture the lavish atmosphere of the period, fully living up to the enviable reputation the groups previous recordings have earned.
Contents and tracklist
Awards and reviews
September 2005
The blend of the vocal lines is superb and the handling of ornament little short of breathtaking.
Early Music Review
The brilliance of this work is expertly captured by Ex Cathedra directed by Jeffrey Skidmore. The choral sound is excellent, whether in the well-managed polychoral exchanges or in the full passages, and the solo singing is very accomplished.
Skidmore once again demonstrates his total empathy with French Baroque repertoire, inspiring his large choral forces to performances that capture a huge gamut of emotions ranging from thrilling grandeur to heartbreaking sublimity. The issue is a magnificent achievement all round.
It is really spendid to have the Messe a quatre choeurs in a thoroughly involving historically informed performance at last. Skidmore leaves no stone unturned in his exploration of its quadraphonic charms…eloquent soloists [are] drawn from the ranks of the choir. And what a choir, gutsy when required, but flexible enough to cope with Charpentier's ever-changing choral configurations ... this is a thrilling release, and I heartily recommend it.
The opening is arresting – the polished Ex Cathedra immerse themselves thoroughly in this beautifully wrought art.
Goldberg
Ex Cathedra's choirs and soloists sound ravishing … Skidmore's conducting results in a performance containing breadth and relaxed phrasing, which in turn allow emotion to shine through the complex polyphony.
