Palestrina – Masses CD4 (2001)

1. Hymn: Aeterna Christi Munera

MISSA AETERNA CHRISTI MUNERA
2. Introitus: Mihi autem
3. Kyrie										play
4. Gloria
5. Graduale: Constitues eos principes
6. Credo
7. Offertorium: Mihi autem
8. Sanctus
9. Benedictus
10. Communio: Venite post me
11. Agnus Dei

MISSA L'HOMME ARMÉ, 4 vv
12. Introitus: In virtute tua
13. Kyrie
14. Gloria
15. Graduale: Beatus Vir
16. Credo
17. Offertorium: Gloria et honore
18. Sanctus										play
19. Benedictus
20. Communio: Qui vult venire post me
21. Agnus Dei

PRO CANTIONE ANTIQUA
Countertenors: Michael Chance, Timothy Penrose
Tenors: James Griffett, James Lewington, Ian Partridge
Basses: Brian Etheridge, Michael George, Adrian Peacock, Stephen Roberts
Mark Brown, conductor

In this 400th anniversary year of Victoria's death, I have been desperately trying to fill some holes in my CD collection, and not just with the music of Victoria himself. As soon as I saw the price of this set (and read a few reviews) I grabbed a copy, slightly unsure of how I would react to the fact that Pro Cantione Antiqua doesn't include soprano voices. I needn't have worried. The counter-tenor singing is poignantly expressive and the deep, rich sound from the basses is positively electrifying. With so few singers, every voice has to count and every note has to be perfect. As Michael Paull quotes in his review, Palestrina's music is much more akin to Gregorian chant than the music of most of his contemporaries. But it's also more interesting than pure Gregorian chant; much more expressive in my opinion too. Add to this the fact that it isn't easy to sing; a group of professionally trained singers is absolutely necessary.

I particularly enjoy the performance of the Missa Papae Marcelli, and especially the Kyrie.

Each CD comes in a cardboard sleeve, with a different colour illustration for each sleeve, and this must be the only set of CDs packaged this way that hasn't caused problems for me because of discs that are such a tight fit they are hard to get out without handling the playing surface. Well done, Brilliant Classics! --- Laraine A. Barker, amazon.com

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