Rating: 3/5
Review:
Unengaging performances
Alonso Lobo was a very fine composer, ending his career as master of the chapel at Seville Cathedral. I am pleased to see more of his works recorded recently because they deserve to be heard. Sadly, I don't think this is a very good recording and I certainly don't think it does justice to these two lovely mass settings.
Musica Ficta are technically very competent, their intonation is good and many of the singers have fine voices. However, the voices fail to blend at all - partly due to some very obtrusive vibrato which prevents the harmonies and particularly the resonant chords from ringing as they should. I didn't really feel that there was much engagement with the text and I also found the dulcian (or bajon) playing in unison with the sung bass gave the whole thing a ponderous feel which really detracted from Lobo's often luminous writing. For me, the overall effect was rather unengaging and felt more like a singing exercise than a committed performance of passionate and beautiful sacred music.
I am sorry to have to be so critical. The disc is by no means bad, it just left me very cold, which Lobo's music certainly shouldn't. My advice is to wait and hope that perhaps a group like the Brabant Ensemble or Stile Antico might record some of Lobo's masses soon.
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