In Review--Wall-of-Sound Polyphony
Classical/Early
Stile Antico
The Phoenix Rising
Harmonia Mundi
The Phoenix Rising
marks the fourth (of seven) recording I have reviewed by the English early
music choir, Stile Antico. I enjoy
listening to performances by these critically-acclaimed young vocalists, who like Seattle’s
Tudor Choir focus on English composers of the Tudor period or at least they do
on this recording. The main feature of
this program revolves around William Byrd’s Mass
for Five Voices which is interspersed with polyphonic compositions by
Byrd’s contemporaries including Robert White, Orlando Gibbons, Thomas Tallis,
Thomas Morley and the final piece by John Taverner (O Splendor gloriae).
Besides, Byrd’s Mass for Five
Voices, the vocalists also perform Byrd’s well-loved Ave verum corpus which opens the recording--sounds marvelous.
Although this work comes from a dark period in English
history, the Christian Reformation, and the text focuses on Christ’s
bloody death on the cross, the vocals presented here sound bright and gentle in
spirit, especially on Byrd’s solemn Agnus
Dei which concludes his mass. And
since I’m not Catholic, my first taste of renaissance polyphony came in 2006
when I wrote an article on early music choirs in Seattle. Health wise, I find merit in listening to the
carefully constructed vocals of the polyphonic compositions. The choral music
feels relaxing, but is still too stimulating as far as musical architecture,
for anyone to fall asleep listening to it (though I suppose this is still
possible). The voices, which will sound
angelic to most listeners, take us to a deep sacred place, no matter our
spiritual practice.
Stile Antico provides us with centuries old music sung by
young vocalist who toured with Sting during his Labyrinth CD promotion.
Similar to Seattle’s Tudor Choir, these vocalists will attract older and younger
audiences to renaissance polyphony as well as, the next generation of
singers. However, if you still need some
convincing, take a listen to the closing track, O Splendor gloriae (John Taverner) which offers approximately 13
minutes of wall-of-sound pleasure to your ears. Call the CD a masterpiece, it's certainly masterful and more than worthy of musical attention.
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