(THIS ARTICLE IS MACHINE TRANSLATED by Google from Norwegian)
Whatever one might think of religious festivals, it is a fact that they have provided inspiration for much good music. More often than not, however, so-called Christmas albums are synonymous with half-hearted anthologies of overplayed seasonal layers. But some really good Christmas related albums have been released this year as well.
Counter-Reformation as cultural protection
Last Christmas Paul McCreesh made a recording of John Sheppards Missa Cantata on the Archive. It addresses the Sarum ritual, an archaic Roman Catholic liturgical scheme developed by the Salisbury Catholic Church that was still practiced in the 1500th century.
With the Reformation, the Sarum rite was abolished along with other Catholic customs. The extensive musical tradition written for the Catholic ceremonies was also rejected – the Protestants demanded simple music with English lyrics; they burned most of the liturgical books, and thus most of the musical heritage of the late English Middle Ages disappeared. But when King Edward died in 1553 and his Catholic sister Mary came to power, the Sarum rite again became the official form of worship in England.
This required new musical settings, and this is where Sheppard (ca. 1515-1558 / 9) comes into the picture. He had been the conductor of the choir at Magdalen College in Oxford under Henry VIII and was then employed by Edward VI. His music represents a return to the earlier Renaissance polyphony from before the Reformation, and the most significant part of his music is written for the Sarum rite. His music was unavailable for a long time – it did not come in print until the 1960s.
Missa Cantata is the third fair for Christmas according to the Sarum ritual. There is broad and intense music that stands in the English festive masstradition, that is, a celebration fair. It is very suggestive music, which can catch one if you let it.
McCreesh conducts his regular ensemble Gabrieli Consort & Players; in addition, he brings with him the Salisbury Cathedral boys' choir, which gives a large range of voices. The recording has received very good reviews, and it is well deserved. The orchestra and singers are impeccable, and the boys' choir sings completely clean. The sound is also fabulous, with a very wide dynamic – the entire Salisbury Cathedral has been used in the recording.
Reconstructed Christmas flatterer
For this year's Christmas album, McCreesh and Gabrieli Consort & Players have reconstructed a Christmas Eve mass from early 1600th century Venice. This practice of reconstructing an occasion or event is typical of McCreesh. This recording is also published on Archiv, and is called A Venetian Christmas. The music is by Giovanni Gabrieli (1554 / 6-1612), whose ensemble has taken its name from, and Cipriano de Rore (1516-1585). The latter is advanced music, with close counterpoint. It is a great stylistic leap to Gabrieli's more typical Italian, fanatic style. The music is intended by the composers to flatter the person present doge, the head of the republic. Gabrieli Consort & Players is, if possible, even more fabulous than I've heard them before – everything's right here. Both singers and orchestra are as good as they can be. Recommended!
Defense of Fundamentalism
The libretto for Georg Friedrich Handel Messiah (1741) was Charles Jennens' defense of Christian orthodoxy at a time of increasing liberalism. For this apology, he largely used texts from the Old Testament that can be seen as prophecies about the life of Jesus. Jesus' status as the Messiah was thus to be emphasized. The conviction was to take place emotionally through Handel's music.
Four years ago, McCreesh and Gabrieli Consort & Players came up with their version of this perhaps most famous classic work. Messiah exists in many versions. The McCreesh has chosen is the so-called Foundling Hospital version of 1754. It contains late versions of the Aryans, and the castrate voice has been replaced with a soprano, making this voice more accessible today, as castrates are no longer "produced".
McCreesh's style is narrower, more aggressive than that of William Christie and Les Arts Florissants, another "reference recording" of this work. Where Christie's version is soft and aestheticizing, McCreesh's is more "desperate" and evangelistic. Although he is short and fast, he has a sensual longing in the extensive phrases that are very appealing. McCreesh has complete control over the orchestra and singers.
The Messiah goes to the movie
Recently, Marc Minkowski and Les Musiciens du Louvre have released their version of the work on the Archive. Their Messiah was recorded as a soundtrack to a film by William Klein. Minkowski writes in the textbook that this is not the way they would have played it if they had done it for a concert or an ordinary studio recording. Klein filmed while recording, creating a thrill that, according to Minkowski, earned the music.
Minkowski's approach is very similar to McCreesh '. In fact, there is not much that separates their way of directing and approach, they share aesthetics. McCreesh scores on the overall impression, especially of the soloists. Where McCreesh does not use male altars at all, Minkowski uses countertenor Brian Asawa in some movements, but not in all that are written for the castrated voice. Asawa has a light and pleasant voice, but he is a little too "weak", and he does not always have full control. Minkowski and company are best at the relatively fast, outward-facing cross-sets; in the more meditative movements he sometimes tends to hurry a little.
What's a shame is that as many as five movements have been left out, as these were obviously not included in the film, and this release should be a kind of soundtrack. However, they could well have recorded these especially for the CD release? As it is now, this means that this release will not be a complete alternative. It is also untenable that this omission is not stated on the cover. In any case, McCreesh's recording is preferable as a whole, not just ahead of it, but probably ahead of all the other options on the market right now.
Yes, yes!
The Korean soprano Sumi Jo (b. 1962) has become more and more noticeable over the last few years. Earlier this year she released the unlucky one Prayers, a collection of famous and unknown songs with the theme of prayer. Now she is out with a recording that does much more justice to her abilities, a Christmas album aptly called The Christmas Album, also the one at Erato. With her she has the early music ensemble Cappella Coloniensis under Michael Schneider, Vocal ensemble Cologne under Max Ciolek, as well as forte pianist Gottfried Bach, counterpart Barbara Ochs and violinist Hiro Kurosaki. The latter leads, among other things, Les Arts Florissants.
The famous Christmas songs on this CD are Adolphe Adams About Holy Night'Praetorius' It's a rose and Franz Grubers Stille Nacht ("Happy Christmas"). The main works are Alessandro Scarlattis Cantata pastoral per la nascita di Nostro Signore ("Pastoral Cantata for the Birth of Our Lord") (one of 600 composers wrote) and the lesser-known Christoph Bernhard's Christmas cantata Do not be afraid! ("Don't be afraid!"). Both of these are little pearls. In addition, we get Mozart's Exsultate, jubilate, Vivaldi's violin concerto "Il riposo" ("The Rest"), RV270, as well as small pieces and sets by well-known and unknown composers.
Sumi Jo has a great one full and strong voice that carries throughout the registry. The ensemble plays near perfect. This is one of the very best Christmas plates on the market.
