VA - Renaissance Choral Masterworks (2018)

The Renaissance era of the 16th and 17th centuries encompasses some of the most magnificent choral music ever written, at a time when composers were attached to royal chapels and cathedrals, and dedicated their art to the service of God, to creating musical masterworks that would complement and reflect the glory of the architecture which contained them.

This album contains some of the most enduring masterpieces from that era. It opens with the haunting strains of the Miserere which Allegri wrote for the Lenten liturgies of St Peter’s Basilica in Rome: the austere, haunting harmonies quickly became so renowned that the basilica moved to protect the work’s uniqueness by withholding the score and allowing performances only by its own choir.

There follows the Renaissance blockbuster Spem in alium, which Thomas Tallis created in 40 separate parts, to rival the grand but more static conception of an Italian contemporary. The courts of Spain and the Netherlands are also represented, with the lamenting O vos omnes by Victoria and Absalon fili mii by Josquin. The performances are compiled from albums by some of the world’s most renowned choirs for this repertoire, mostly based in the English centre of choral excellence, the chapels of Cambridge.

However, the music is largely Italian in origin, as one might expect: the melancholy strains of Palestrina’s Stabat mater and Lotti’s magical, eight-part Crucifixus are answered by more joyful and exuberant pieces by Monteverdi and Gabrieli, conceived for the Basilica of St Mark’s in Venice. This is a unique collection on record, enhanced by a lively introduction in the booklet to each work and composer on the album.

A generous collection of all time favourite choral masterworks from the Renaissance: Miserere (Allegri), Stabat Mater (Palestrina), Spem in Alium (Tallis), Crucifixus (Lotti), Ave Verum (Byrd) and other works by Cavalli, Desprez, da Victoria, Monteverdi, Vivanco, Gabrieli, Striggio, Willaert and Merulo.

Excellent performances by world famous choirs like the King’s College Choir, Clare College Choir, St. John’s College Choir, Chapelle de Roi and the Chamber Choir of Europe. More than 2 hours of heavenly sounds of eternal masterworks.

TRACKLIST

01. Miserere - Choir of Clare College Cambridge & Timothy Brown
02. Spem in alium nunquam habui à 40 - Chapelle du Roi & Alistair Dixon
03. Stabat Mater - Choir of Clare College Cambridge & Timothy Brown
04. Salve regina - Choir of King's College, Cambridge & Stephen Cleobury
05. Magnificat octavi toni - Choir of King's College, Cambridge & Stephen Cleobury
06. Crucifixus - The Choir of St. John's College Cambridge & Christopher Robinson
07. Ave verum corpus in G Minor - The Choir of St. John's College Cambridge & Christopher Robinson
08. Absalon fili mi - Choir of Clare College Cambridge & Timothy Brown
09. O vos omnes - Choir of Clare College Cambridge & Timothy Brown
10. O vos omnes - Choir of Clare College Cambridge & Timothy Brown
11. Laudate pueri - Ensemble San Felice & Federico Bardazzi
12. Ave maris stella - Ensemble San Felice & Federico Bardazzi
13. Ahi senza te - Chamber Choir of Europe & Nicol Matt
14. Ninfe leggiadre e belle - Chamber Choir of Europe & Nicol Matt
15. Dolce nemica mia - Chamber Choir of Europe & Nicol Matt
16. O bene mio fa famm'uno favour - Chamber Choir of Europe & Nicol Matt
17. Alma cortes' e bella, Ch.85 - Chamber Choir of Europe & Nicol Matt
18. Cor mio - Chamber Choir of Europe & Nicol Matt
19. Deh dolce anima - Chamber Choir of Europe & Nicol Matt
20. T'amo mia vita - Chamber Choir of Europe & Nicol Matt
21. Kyrie eleison - Chamber Choir of Europe & Nicol Matt
22. Fuggi pur se sai - Chamber Choir of Europe & Nicol Matt
23. In nobil sangue vita humile e queta, Ch.180 - Chamber Choir of Europe & Nicol Matt
24. Alla battaglia - Chamber Choir of Europe & Nicol Matt
25. Amor dove mi guidi - Chamber Choir of Europe & Nicol Matt
26. A le guancie de rose - Chamber Choir of Europe & Nicol Matt
27. Gloria in excelsis deo a 16 - Chamber Choir of Europe & Nicol Matt
28. Sanctus - Chamber Choir of Europe & Nicol Matt
29. Credo from the Mass "benedicam dominum" - Chamber Choir of Europe & Nicol Matt
30. Hodie Christus natus est - Chamber Choir of Europe & Nicol Matt
31. Agnus dei - Chamber Choir of Europe & Nicol Matt
32. Omnes gentes plaudite manibus, Ch.52 - Chamber Choir of Europe & Nicol Matt