| PRODUCT DETAILS | | Chanticleer - Magnificat (DVD Audio) |  | |
Chanticleer - Magnificat (DVD Audio)
The award-winning men's vocal ensemble Chanticleer returns to the hypnotic sounds of earlier times with this collection of works in praise of the Virgin. A fascinating variety of approaches to the great Magnificat text is represented here, from 7th century chant through the golden years of the Renaissance polyphonists Palestrina, Taverner, and Josquin, and up through the Baroque composers Monteverdi and Vasily Titov. Tracks and Notables: Ave Maria; Ave Maria, Mater Dei; Magnificat; Stabat Virgo Maria; Maria, Quid Ploras; The Angel Cried Out; Regina Caeli Laetare; Alma Redeptoris Mater; Ave Maris Stella; O Thou Joy of all the Sorrowful; Ave Regina Caelorum a 8; Ave Maria a 4; Salve Regina a 5.
Manufacturer: Teldec
Price: $17.99
 Chanticleer - Magnificat (DVD Audio)
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| User Reviews |  | Beautiful with excellent sound engineering and singing
rating: 5
I got what I wanted ---some absolutely beautiful compositions with exquiste voices.
Should be a grammy nominee
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Beautiful performances and some nice surprises
rating: 5
This is a nice anthology of Renaissance music encompassing key composers of both the Prima and Seconda Prattica, including one or two less known names. The uniting theme is that of they are all in praise of the Virgin Mary. Most of these works are old war horses such as the Josquin Ave Maria which is beautifully performed. Their tempo for the Josquin is similar to that of the spacious approach of the Hilliard Ensemble, and unless you like this music performed at breakneck speed you will likely find this performance perfectly satisfying. If you are interested in an anthology of Renaissance music then this is a great choice, however for those of us with a strong interest in music of this period what really makes this essential listening is the two extraordinary pieces by Vasily Titov.
Titov composed at the time of Tsar Peter the Great's modernisation drive in Russia. He brought in composers from the West and Titov's music represents a marriage of the Italian compositional styles of the Seconda Prattica with the traditions of the Russian Orthodox Church. Like the grand architecture of St Petersburgs, and the Hermitage this is an fascinating mixture of Western influences with distinctly Russian ones. The twelve part polychoral writings have some of the dark solemnity of Russian Orthodox music while clearly being heavily influenced by the likes of Monteverdi, Gabrielli, Lassus and Palestrina. Perhaps a more authentically Russian approach to this music would have given far more prominence to the basses, but this still has trumendous impact. It makes it strange that there is so much interest in composers such as Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov, Moussorsky, Shostakovich and the like but the Early Music movement have yet to catch up with Eastern Europe - Titov is very easily their equal and I would welcome more substantial recordings devoted to exploring this neglected composer.
This is a great recording recommended both to a general audience as well as to lovers of Renaissance music alike. The recorded sound is natural and full bodied. You can pick out individual voices in the chorus without them being drowned into an amorphous porridge of sound - a sign of a good recording. Still, I have heard wider sound staging and a wider dynamic range, so for all its virtues this is almost - but not quite - audiophile quality. Clearly a SACD format DSD recording would have been preferable.
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Heavenly
rating: 5
This is one of my first two DVD-audio discs. Some tracks are recorded from the audience perspective, with the choir across the front and cathedral ambience all around, and those are beautiful, but I gotta say I love the, "choir-around the room" recordings a little more. Track 3 in particular has the choir "doubled" with parts recorded seperately with the choir at the rear of the cathedral, a then they moved 'em all down front, and stuck the tracks together through the magic of digital editing. I don't have a DVD-audio player yet so I'm just listening to the compressed Dolby 5.1 tracks. Can't imagine it sounding any better, though. Get this disc. Seriously, do it so you can go to heaven!
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Marvelous sound
rating: 4
This recording wraps you up in a gorgeous sonority, and I'm only listening in stereo. I can't wait to hear it when I fill out my speaker ensemble.
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Gorgeous choral voices surrounding you
rating: 5
I hesitated to buy this disc until a friend told me he knew one of the members of Chanticleer; then again I also had nothing like it in my collection. The sound is rich and resonant. You should know it is recorded realistically, in a variety of soundfields, i.e. sometimes there is a processional from front to rear, sometimes choruses on upper left/right, or from all around you, depending on the material. If that sounds disconcerting be assured it isn't. This is a beautiful and soothing disc with a nice variety to it, and the sound is wonderful.
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Chanticleer - Magnificat (DVD Audio)
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