Juan Gutiérrez de Padilla - Streams of Tears - Coro: COR16059 - CD or download

Such reflective singing is alluring. But is misses the inherent energy of this South American tradition, (revealed superbly by Jeffrey Skidmore and Ex Cathedra on Hyperion). Nonetheless, this... — BBC Music Magazine, July 2008, 4 out of 5 stars More…

Release Date: 28th Apr 2008
Catalogue No: COR16059
Label: Coro
Length: 67 minutes

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Padilla, J G: Deus in adiutoriuminin

Work length2:15

$1.00

$1.40

The Sixteen
Harry Christophers

Padilla, J G: Mirabilia testimonia tua

Work length8:22

$1.50

$2.10

The Sixteen
Harry Christophers

Padilla, J G: Stabat Mater

Work length3:00

$1.00

$1.40

The Sixteen
Harry Christophers

Padilla, J G: Transfige, dulcissime Domine

Work length4:22

$1.00

$1.40

The Sixteen
Harry Christophers

Padilla, J G: Lamentations

Work length12:47

$2.00

$2.80

The Sixteen
Harry Christophers

Padilla, J G: Tristis est anima mea

Work length3:17

$1.00

$1.40

The Sixteen
Harry Christophers

Padilla, J G: Versa est in luctum

Work length3:17

$1.00

$1.40

The Sixteen
Harry Christophers

Padilla, J G: Missa Ave Regina caelorum

Work length14:17

$4.00

$5.60

The Sixteen
Harry Christophers

Kyrie

Track length2:47

$1.00

$1.40

Gloria

Track length4:01

$1.00

$1.40

Credo

Track length5:59

$1.00

$1.40

Sanctus

Track length1:30

$1.00

$1.40

Padilla, J G: Pater peccavi

Work length4:51

$1.00

$1.40

The Sixteen
Harry Christophers

Padilla, J G: Salve Regina

Work length7:22

$1.50

$2.10

The Sixteen
Harry Christophers

Padilla, J G: Ave Regina Caelorum

Work length3:26

$1.00

$1.40

The Sixteen
Harry Christophers

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A disc dedicated to a master of the ‘New World’. Padilla was a composer of ‘New Spain’ - the country we now call Mexico. Whilst born in Malaga in the late 1500s he emigrated to Puebla, Mexico in 1620 to compose music in the ‘New World’.

‘Streams of tears’ reflects not only the penitential nature of this programme, the tears shed for Christ on the cross, but also that period in history known as the ‘Siglo de Oro’, when Spain and Portugal were masters of the great ocean and in the process of discovering and developing new lands in the Americas and Padilla is symbolic of this age. This was a time when the church had money as well as a great appreciation of art in the service of the church not only in Europe but in the new cathedrals of Mexico.

The music of this period is as varied as it is distinctive, with a harmonic richness and colour that is found nowhere else.

Reviews

July 2008

Such reflective singing is alluring. But is misses the inherent energy of this South American tradition, (revealed superbly by Jeffrey Skidmore and Ex Cathedra on Hyperion). Nonetheless, this is a polished performance of less-familiar music.

2010

Padilla's music has been awaiting a recording such as this for some time: the earliest of the transcriptions on this recording date from the mid- 1980s, when, at the prompting of Bruno Turner, British choirs were persuaded to take an interest in the music of early Spanish America. A number of publications, concerts and recordings resulted from this initiative, and the music entered to some degree into the repertoire. It is good, therefore, to see it revisited by a choir of the calibre of The Sixteen at this distance in time.
The music, much of which is fully scored – Padilla, a Spaniard who emigrated to Mexico, was particularly deft at double-choir writing – and richly sonorous, is just the kind of fare that The Sixteen excel at – the two-choir Mirabiliatestimonia tua and the most extensive work on the disc, the Missa Ave regina, are fine examples. But another aspect of Padilla's style, delicate and crystalline, is seen in smaller-scale motets such as Pater peccavi, Versa est in luctum (a significant contribution to the Iberian tradition of settings of that text) and the intense, dissonant Stabatmater, as well as the remarkable devotional motet Transfige, dulcissime Domine, for two sopranos, alto and bass; these more intimate works also receive fine readings. In many ways, the Salveregina reconciles both styles to perfection, just as it does the 'old' polyphony and the new Italianate style, alternating between them and building into a positively incandescent work. The odd rather heavy-handed entry from the men apart, these works bring out the very best in The Sixteen, supple, powerful and full of colour.

September 2008

…these works bring out the very best in The Sixteen, supple, powerful and full of colour.

18th May 2008

[de Padilla's] language has its roots in Renaissance polyphony, but it also contains more modern elements – a strong rhythmic drive, a feeling for colour and textural contrast. Everything in this set, music related to Christ’s Passion, possesses impressive grace and majesty, beautifully reflected in the gloriously phrased and blended singing of the Sixteen under Christophers.

10th May 2008

Whether in the crisply exciting antiphonal exchanges of brilliant double-choir pieces, or in profoundly moving expressions of penitence and sorrow that include a superb Lamentations setting, the Sixteen's excellent performances suggest that, had [Padilla] stayed in Europe, he would be recognised as one of Spain's greatest masters of sacred polyphony.

10th May 2008

The latest album from the Sixteen, usually one of Britain's finer vocal groups, lacks polish...Words are poorly enunciated and passion low in the Lamentations. There is occasionally clumsy articulation, a slightly rough texture in the voices and a sense that they are unused to singing as a choir. One almost suspects that, short of time perhaps, they were relying on their professionalism to pull them through. Only the most gullible of Aztecs would have been converted by this.

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