December 28, 2014

  • Profound 20th Century Choral Works

     

    De Profundis
    Vasary Singers/Jeremy Backhouse
    Naxos 8.573196
    Total Time:  70:01
    Recording:   ****/****
    Performance: ****/****

    Recorded last February (2014) in Kent, UK, De Profundis brings together a host of fascinating 20th century choral music paired to provide comparison with different settings of similar texts.  The choices focus mostly music from Italy but there are also a Miserere by James MacMillan, and the more familiar setting by Gregorio Allegri (1582-1652).  Thus the music spans some 350 years.  Though primarily a choral disc, there are some additional solo instrumentalists and organ where needed.  Though each of the 20th Century composers could be connected to more modern leanings, their choral works here are fairly conservative musically with some occasional flashes of uniqueness.

    The music of Ildebrando Pizzetti (1880-1968) is less well known outside of Italy.  Though known mostly as an opera composer, it is some of his instrumental music that is most striking for the period.  There are two rare pieces.  The first, De Profundis, opens the album displaying the composer’s gift for polyphonic vocal writing.  The five-movement a cappella Messa di Requiem (1922) allows an exploration of Gregorian chant within the different text settings.

    Malipiero’s (1882-1973) own setting of De Profundis is an example of his more restrained 1930s style that came on the heels of his work creating a complete edition of Monteverdi’s work.  It receives its world premiere recording here and is indeed a striking work.

    The most familiar work on the disc is Allegri’s Miserere, legendarily never shared in notation and which Mozart than subsequently wrote down from memory after hearing it for the first time.  The work proves to be a good programming choice as it provides an example of the great Italian polyphony that cast its shadow on later generations.  Here is the simple alternation of plainchant with choral responses as was common for the period.  The performance is at times quite exquisite.  The same text then follows in a setting by James MacMillan (b.1959) composed in 2009.  His setting, also a complete use of Psalm 130, allows for alternation between male and female voices.  There is some rather interesting intricate writing coupled with unique, and often haunting turns of musical phrase.

    Two requiems close out this interesting program.  The first is a very brief work by Puccini composed to mark the fourth anniversary of Verdi’s death (1905).  The work was unpublished until 1976 and has only recently managed to pop up on releases of Puccini miscellanea generally.  It represents a composer at the top of his game and in his later mature style, though one would be hard pressed that it is the same composer of verismo opera.  The longer requiem that closes out the disc by Pizzetti, explores each of the five main areas of the mass with a second movement “Dies Irae” that explores the complete text against interesting florid, and mysterious choral accompaniment.  It is about half the length of the entire piece and certainly a highlight of the pieces recorded here.  The music overall is rather engaging with its blend of plainchant adaptations within interesting harmonic ideas.

    The chorus is well-captured in this recording with a nice ambience from the chapel.  Some of the higher notes float rather beautifully in these textures .  The voices fit very well together.  The music is quite engaging and unique enough so that each work has a chance to reveal unique aspects of its composer’s style.  Many pay some homage to plainchant style within their settings making the connections between pieces work well as a complete program.  Apart from Puccini, most of the composers on this disc will be new to many listeners and are good introductions to explore their work elsewhere.  The sound is simply superb.  Though released at Christmas time, one could certainly see this as a wonderful Lenten companion disc with engaging and reflective music.  Texts are also included.