Arcadlt - Estote fortes in bello - Josquin Capella/Bruser

Rating: 3/5

Review:
Lovely sound, but...

This recording has good things about it but it has its faults, too.

There is a good selection of Arcadelt’s work, including his Missa Ave regina caelorum and Lamentations. The singers are good, with a nice blend and the lower pitch and very resonant acoustic makes of a very pleasing overall sound. However, there is little in the way of engagement with the text which, combined with the somewhat muddy texture, does get rather samey and in the end, slightly dull.

It’s not a bad recording by any means, but rather more attention to detail rather than just basking in a lovely sound would have improved it considerably. A qualified recommendation only.

de la Rue - Missa Nunca fue pena mayor etc - Ars Aniqua de Paris

Rating: 2/5

Review:
A poor recording

I’m afraid I don’t like this recording at all. I have tried both this and Ars Antiqua de Paris’s recording of de la Rue’s Missa Puer natus est nobis and my response to both has been very similar.

To put it bluntly, the singers aren’t very good, and nor is the direction. There is almost nothing in the way of blend or, more importantly, balance so the impression is of a group of people doing their own thing with little reference to anyone else – which entirely negates much of the point of polyphony. The singers themselves sound tentative to the point of being scared much of the time, intonation is occasionally dodgy, there is some intrusive vibrato...it just sounds pretty grim to me.

I don’t like to be so critical, but I really think this is a poor recording which does no justice to the music. De la Rue was a wonderful composer and there are some excellent recordings of his work; this isn’t one of them. My advice is to try some of the fine recordings by The Clerk’s Group, Henry’s Eight, Amarcord, Gothic Voices and others and to leave this one well alone.

de la Rue - Missa Puer natus est nobis etc. - Ars Antiqua de Paris

Rating: 2/5

Review:
A poor recording

I’m afraid I don’t like this recording at all. Pierre de la Rue was a wonderful composer and there are some excellent recordings of his work; this isn’t one of them.

To put it bluntly, the singers aren’t very good, and nor is the direction. There is almost nothing in the way of blend or, more importantly, balance so the impression is of a group of people doing their own thing with little reference to anyone else – which entirely negates much of the point of polyphony. The singers themselves sound tentative to the point of being scared much of the time, intonation is occasionally dodgy, there is some intrusive vibrato...it just sounds pretty grim to me.

I don’t like to be so critical, but I really think this is a poor recording which does no justice to de la Rue’s music. My advice is to try some of the fine recordings by The Clerk’s Group, Henry’s Eight, Amarcord, Gothic Voices and others and to leave this one well alone.