TALLIS: Spem in alium, Missa Salve intemerata

Oxford Camerata;
Summerly, Jeremy

8.557770

This was one of the most remarkable recording of 2005 and fully worthy of the celebration of the 500th anniversary of Talli’s birth. Some of his greatest masterpieces are here, written for eight choirs of five voices. Spem in alium is justly the most famous. In order to replicate the circular effect intended by the composer, the producer here, Andrew Walton, and engineer Mike Clements, recorded the four choirs positioned in the form of four sides of a huge St Chad Cross. The result (especially at the climax of Spem in alium) is overwhelming. But the extended motet, Slaveintemerata, and its associated Mass are superb too, while the three English motets which complete the programme are by no means an anticlimax. The performances here are beyond praise, as is the skill of the Naxos recording team, while the acoustic of All Hallows, Gospel Oak, London, was ideally chosen for this remarkable enterprise. Alas the surround sound SACD of these performances has now been withdrawn, although the ‘normal’ CD sounds very impressive indeed.• Penguin Guide, January 2009

CD

Muzyka klasyczna

Naxos

13-06-2005

747313277025