Polyphony

There are so many excellent recordings of Messiah that the addition of another only further complicates the decision for the listener, but having such an abundance of riches should be no cause for complaint. Hyperion's recording with Stephen Layton leading the choir Polyphony and the Britten Sinfonia is not among the flashiest or most star-studded, but it is immensely musically satisfying.

Capilla Flamenca, Psallentes, Westvleteren - Triduum Paschale: Easter In Polyphony and Abbey Chants (2010) {Eufoda 1379}
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© 2010 Eufoda | 1379
Classical / Renaissance / Polyphony / Early Music / Gregorian Chant

The celebration of the Easter Mystery has traditionally been considered to be the core of Christian liturgy. The Triduum Paschale, also known as the Holy Triduum or the Easter Triduum, begins on Holy Thursday and ends on Easter. Pascha is originally a Hebrew word which means transitus, or 'passage': Jesus' passage from death to life, from this world to his heavenly Father (Joh 13:1). The chants which have interpreted the prayers of the Cistercian Order for centuries may best express what an abbey community is about: the deep and unfathomable connection with earth, with man and with God.

This is a gorgeous collection of unaccompanied sacred pieces from the masterly Ars Nova, under the inspired direction of Bo Holten. The honeyed tones of the choir infuse this music with such glory, in all its forms, that even a heart of stone might feel the divine reaching out, reflecting the pain, suffering, but also the absolute sense of compassion to all who hear it. Wonderfully warm and comforting (healing?) music, superbly sung. This cd comes with full text for the pieces, production is excellent, and you get access to all these riches for a trifle.

The bizarre presentation of this disc by the Portuguese recorder ensemble A Imagem da Melancolia may be enough to put listeners off of the whole thing, but they'll be missing out on some attractive recorder arrangements of organ music if they let it happen. The bad news begins with the "Bad Tempered Consort" title, which is apparently supposed to be humorous; it doesn't seem to refer in any way to tuning, but it's hard to say exactly what it is supposed to mean. In search of an explanation, the buyer may step inside to the booklet essay, a self-indulgent and muddled exposition of the idea that musicians should be able to do pretty much whatever they want to with a score.