Monday, 16 December 2019

Palestrina - Lamentations - Cinquecento


Rating: 5/5

Review:
Another gem from Cinquecento 

This is yet another superlative recording by Cinquecento, who are now among the very finest ensembles in this field.

This truly emotive music from Palestrina and, for me at least, utterly falsifies the notion that he was all about form and technique but had little real musical depth. The Lamentations truly lament here without ever becoming turgid or depressing, and Cinquecento really do it proud. They sing with impeccable technique, of course and produce their customary beautiful sound, but they also engage fully with the text to bring out its real spiritual depth and meaning.

The excellent notes are written by Bruno Turner. I have owned his recording with Pro Cantione Antiqua of Palestrina’s Lamentations Book Four for years, and although I respect Turner greatly, that disc has never been a favourite Palestrina recording. This one is and I am confident that it will continue to be a favourite for many years. Very warmly recommended.

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