Music : Christmas Mass in Rome

Rating: - McCreesh does Palestrina
This is one the very best Gabrieli consort discs and almost impossible to get hold of. If you get an opportunity grab it and make a back up. The Palestrina on the disc is mind-blowing. A totally McCreeshian take on a usually serenely, gently sung composer. The performance is polar opposite to for example, the sublime Pro Cantione Antiqua discs. In particular the Kyrie, Gloria and Credo are breathtaking, the rest of the mass, still brilliant is less impressive. McCreesh succeeds in making Palestrina not just beautiful, but exciting. The plainchant on the disc is of the very best sort that McCreesh can produce, with perfect acoustics. The Victoria motets are truly magnificent and compete with Palestrina's mass. The canzone are not particularly brilliant, nor are the motets at the end of the mass. Well worth going to alot of trouble to get.

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Rating: - Why this one is no longer produced i have no idea...
Next to the Praetorius Mass (OUTSTANDING recording...), this is my favorite recording by McCreesh and the Gabrielis (I have 10 or so of their recordings). As this recording is no longer produced (deleted from dg's catalog, in fact - a REAL shame), i paid through the nose to get it, but it was worth it. This performance is completely addictive from the first listening: very fluid, warm, smooth, and extremely well balanced. Aside from the very beautiful ordinaries of the mass, there are several other noteworthy pieces. The offertory and communion motets by Victoria almost steal the entire show. Not even Hyperion's 7 discs of Victoria have the wonderful Quem Vidistes Pastores: a beautiful gem that will help you wear out your |<< button. The opening motet has some very exquisite and exotic harmony that is also not to be missed. The falsetto does tend to stick out a bit towards the end of it, but certainly doesn't cast a shadow on this or any of the other pieces. Although it is definitely within the mainstream work of this outfit, this reconstruction seems to have a rather unique aura compared with their other recordings. If you can find this disc, get it. guaranteed enjoyment.