Rating: 5/5
Review:
Another gem from The Tallis Scholars
You really can’t go wrong with the Tallis Scholars, especially when
they sing Josquin. This, the seventh in their projected series of
all Josquin’s mass settings, is well up to the stellar standard of
its predecessors.
These are two very
different settings; Missa L’ami Baudichon is possibly Josquin’s
earlies setting, based on an extremely vulgar popular song and Missa
Gaudeamus is from the mid-point of his 40-year composing career and
is much more intense and architecturally complex. Both are extremely
satisfying in their different ways and, of course, both are extremely
lovely.
The performances
are, as you would expect, technically impeccable and luminously
beautiful. Peter Phillips and his ensemble have a deep understanding
of Josquin and they do his genius full justice here. The sound
recording is excellent and Phillips’s notes are fascinating and
readable. In short, this is another outstanding disc from the Tallis
Scholars and very warmly recommended.
