COMPOSERS: Palestrina
LABELS: Carlton
WORKS: Missa L’homme armé; Missa Assumpta est Maria
PERFORMER: Pro Cantione Antiqua/Mark Brown
CATALOGUE NO: 30366 00782 1991
Pro Cantione Antiqua gives a fine demonstration of Palestrina’s expressive range with this reissue, underlining the stylistic differences between the composer’s L’homme armé and Assumpta est Maria Mass settings. Contrast the ensemble’s gentle restraint in the former’s relatively simple textures with its exuberance in the latter’s more elaborate sound-world. The word-painting in the Credo of the Missa Assumpta est Maria is especially impressive. Elsewhere, mellifluous singing in the plainsong items which connect the mass movements confirms PCA’s fluent versatility. Nicholas Rast
Palestrina: Missa L'homme armé; Missa Assumpta est Maria
Pro Cantione Antiqua gives a fine demonstration of Palestrina’s expressive range with this reissue, underlining the stylistic differences between the composer’s L’homme armé and Assumpta est Maria Mass settings. Contrast the ensemble’s gentle restraint in the former’s relatively simple textures with its exuberance in the latter’s more elaborate sound-world. The word-painting in the Credo of the Missa Assumpta est Maria is especially impressive. Elsewhere, mellifluous singing in the plainsong items which connect the mass movements confirms PCA’s fluent versatility. Nicholas Rast
Our rating
4
Published: January 20, 2012 at 2:29 pm