Art Choral Vol.1 – Renaissance
Ensemble Artchoral; Matthias Maute
ATMA ACD2 2420 (atmaclassique.com/en/product/art-choral-vol-1-renaissance)
Listen
Lullaby my sweet little baby - Listen on Spotify
Chansons de maistre Clément Janequin : Chanson La bataille de Marignan à 4 voix - Listen on Spotify
Ave Regina cælorum - Listen on Spotify
Read the Review
If radio stations are to be believed the only a capella choral group worthy of airplay is Voces 8 (without doubt, a wonderful ensemble, eminently worthy of celebration under any circumstances). However, when producers of radio keep programming just one choral group (singing songs from their latest repertoire) listeners are robbed of – to quote Pliny – “an embarrassment of riches” worthy of the airwaves wherever their reach may extend.
The virtues of a disc such as this one – Renaissance Art Choral Vol.1 – even parts of it from time to time – serve the purpose of being infinitely greater than the educational. Presented here is music that will surely have appeal quite beyond academia.
The disc opens with a glorious motet – Adoremus te, Christe à 4 voix – attributed to Giovanni Pierluigi Palestrina, the father of polyphony. The repertoire then traverses a breathtaking arc of motets, madrigals, chanson, anthems and lullabies sweeping across Europe, from France and Italy through England. Undertaking this musical journey we discover much music from the ecstatic mysticism of Palestrina, the chanson of Josquin des Pres to the joyful works of William Byrd and an anthem written by the celebrated Thomas Tallis.
The eloquent musicality of Ensemble Artchoral under the direction of the accomplished Matthias Maute recreate these works with eloquent emotionality and deep spirituality.
- Liszt Metamorphosis - Charlotte Hu 24-12-15
- Johannes Brahms: The Symphonies - Chamber Orchestra of Europe; Yannick Nézet-Séguin 24-12-15
- Stravinsky: Chamber Works - Barbara Hannigan; Royal Academy of Music; Juilliard School Ensemble 24-12-15
- Magnus Lindberg: Viola Concerto, Absence, Serenades - Lawrence Power; Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra; Nicholas Collon; 24-12-14
- Sofia Gubaidulina: Triple Concerto for Violin, Cello and Bayan; Rejoice! Sonata for Violin and Cello - Baiba Skride; Harriet Krijgh; Elsbeth Moser; NDR Radiophilharmonie; Andrew Manze 24-12-14