innovative repertoire, performed superbly
Subtitled “Renaissance and Contemporary Choral Works,” this disc follows on from the choral ensemble luminatus’ O beata Virgo Maria, reviewed previously by William Kempster in Fanfare 48:1. I agree wholeheartedly with my colleague about the standard of the choir. The recording space (St Mary’s, Woburn) seems quite tight here, so I do wonder if the recording locales are … Read more
Love Divine features music by Phillipe de Monte, drawing on a motet by Cipriano de Rore. Musical material is embedded throughout this parody mass, which reflects a mature and assured mastery of counterpoint. The disc goes on to explore two composers featured by luminatus vocal ensemble in concerts this year. Tiburtio Massaino and Ippolito Baccusi. … Read more
Messiah remains Handel’s best-known work, with performances particularly popular during the Advent season, although also it also covers the Passion and contemplation of its significance. Handel made numerous revisions to his manuscript score, and these were designed to match the forces available for the 1742 Dublin premiere. Surviving manuscripts contain radically different settings of many … Read more
O Beata Virgo Maria – Review by Laudate Magazine “O Beata Virgo Maria is a fine disc with much to appeal to lovers of a cappella mixed-voice ensembles” Review: The singing is wonderful. luminatus (they prefer an initial lower-case letter) is a ‘small, but flexible group’ who specialise in little-known Renaissance music and in contemporary repertoire. … Read more
