Viscera

Product Description
Their third release is easily their most brutally melodic sonic assault yet. Tracks range from relentlessly aggressive dance floor assaults to violently beautiful mid-tempo laments. Also included is a nostalgic reflection of band member Jasyn's youth in the classic Cure cover "A Night Like This", torn apart from its original state and reconstructed as a God Mod dance floor anthem. "Viscera" is sure to cement God Module's place among the top of the dark-electronic dance scene.

Viscera,God Module,Metropolis Records,Dance Music,Electronic,Industrial Dance,Pop

Average customer rating: Absolutely stunning! The Best Perotin Recording. Magnificent the Perotin cd An imaginative, sensitive recording.

Perotin / The Hilliard Ensemble Perotin , Anonymous , Paul Hillier , Charles Daniels , David James , The Hilliard Ensemble , John Potter , Rogers Covey-Crump , Gordon Jones , and Mark Padmore Manufacturer: Ecm Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Hilliard Ensemble | ( H ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music ECM Classical | ECM Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music ECM Jazz & World | ECM Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Machaut: Messe de Notre Dame / The Hilliard Ensemble Josquin Desprez: Motets & Chansons Magister Leoninus: Sacred Music from 12th-Century Paris Guillaume de Machaut: Motets Morimur ASIN: B000025ZXO Release Date: 2000-04-18

Tracks:

1. Viderunt omnes
2. Veni creator spiritus
3. Alleluia posui adiutorium
4. O Maria virginei
5. Dum sigillum
6. Isaias cecinit
7. Alleluia nativitas
8. Beata viscera
9. Siderunt principes

Amazon.com essential recording

It would be impossible to adequately describe the inherent haunting beauty of Perotin's music, or to fully detail its far-reaching influence in latter-12th-century France. The opening "Viderunt omnes" is a perfect illustration of the surprising vitality and highly charged sense of forward motion that can be obtained with relatively simple rhythmic impulses and harmonic devices. The male voices of the Hilliard Ensemble generate an electrifying resonance that vibrates everything in the room that's not solid or nailed down. You can literally feel this music, ringing with natural harmonics and set to body-moving rhythms. Yes, it's religious music, intended for lofty cathedral spaces; but it moves, and it's moving, and this recording gives it to you full blast. --David Vernier

Customer Reviews:

Absolutely stunning!.......2005-06-24

I am a musical novice. I was brought up listening to Pink Floyd, Santana, Joni Mitchell, and so on. I could not read music to save my life. Then someone introduced me to some Josquin Des Pres Rennaissance Polyphony - Missa L'homme arme sexti toni, Agnus Dei, to be specific - and I was totally hooked.

A few years later, someone introduced me to this CD, and I was even more taken. For some reason, I really like the Perotin-composed pieces - tracks 1, 3, 5, 7, 8 and 9. The Beata viscera (track 8) is other-worldly, and quite possibly one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard in my entire life!

You don't have to be a musical scholar to enjoy this - it's simply beautiful!

The Best Perotin Recording........2005-06-16

Perotin was a 12th century composer in Paris at the Cathedral of Notre Dame. We know almost nothing about him. Perotin (which is a diminutive of Peter) is described by a mid-thirteenth century student identified today as Anonymous IV who states that Perotin was the greatest composer of discant and better than another composer, Leonin, who came before him (it's not even 100% clear that they were at the Cathedral of Notre Dame). Now you know literally everything there is to know about Perotin.

Perotin composed organum--multi-voice compositions which move quickly over the traditional Gregorian chant which has been stretched out so that each note is very long. How long are they stretched out? Well, to give an example, the first track is over 11 minutes long!

The great thing about this music is that it takes you to another world--it is not supposed to be "emotive" or self-expressive. It represents pure, solemn, inspiration.

The Hilliard Ensemble has done a tremendous job in this recording. They make medieval music come to life, and their precision is fantastic.

Before organum, European music was essentially Gregorian chant--one melodic line with no rhythm or harmony. But with multiple voice parts, rhythm is necessary to keep the parts together. This also led to the creation of harmony. One can only imagine the wonder as the common medieval man wandered into the enormous Cathedral at Notre Dame, marveled at the stained glass, and heard this music. It must truly have been an inspiring occasion. This recording helps us partially reconnect with the wonder of this early music.

Magnificent.......2005-01-28

This is a great recording. Anyone who has the least interest in serious music should be familiar with Perotin's works, just as they would with all the "greatest" composers. This music is profound, sublime and truly beautiful. And, I might add, diametrically opposed and far superior to much of the "minimalist" music of today with which it is sometimes compared. The Hilliard Ensemble is incomparable.

the Perotin cd.......2003-04-10

I think tihs is simply the best Perotin cd you can have. The vocal quality is much more fluid (& knowledgeably middle-agey) than any other Perotin recordings I've heard.

An imaginative, sensitive recording........2002-10-18

Smooth, expressive, at times exquisite singing illuminates the music's richness and diversity. Music which is vast, erie, mysterious and yet pulsates with vigor and life, even lust for life. Such a marraige between the cosmic and the earthly is typical of the medeival artist and Perotin is one of the greatest. While the three anonymous works naturally show a less drastic and comprehensive spirit, they do reveal a few treasures of the great artistry of Notre Dame.

Average customer rating: Nice A Resounding Success A Voice Feast from the Middle Ages

Leonin, Perotin: Sacred Music from Notre-Dame Cathedral Manufacturer: Naxos ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Sacred & Religious | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music | Requiems Vocal & Song | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music | Requiems General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Chants | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music $6.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Similar Items: Dunstable: Sweet Harmony - Masses and Motets Machaut: La Messe de Nostre Dame; Songs from Le Voir Dit Perotin / The Hilliard Ensemble Palestrina: Missa Papae Marcelli, Missa Aeterna Josquin Desprez: Motets & Chansons ASIN: B0009SQC8W Release Date: 2005-07-19

Tracks:

1. Beata Viscera
2. Viderunt Omnes
3. Viderunt Omnes
4. (Plainchant) ... Fines Terre Salutare Dei ...
5. (2-Part Organum) ... Notum Fecit ...
6. ... Dominus ...
7. ... Salutare Suum Ante Conspectum ...
8. (Plainchant) ... Justitiam Suam
9. (2-Part Organum) ...Viderunt Omnes ...
10. (Plainchant) ... Fines Terre Salutare Dei ...
11. (2-Part Organum) ... Notum Fecit ...
12. ... Dominus ...
13. (Plainchant) ... Justitiam Suam
14. (2-Part Organum) ...Viderunt Omnes ...
15. (Plainchant) ... Fines Terre Salutare Dei ...
16. (2-Part Clausula): ... Dominus ...
17. (2-Part Clausula): ... Dominus ...
18. (2-Part Clausula): ... Dominus ...
19. (2-Part Clausula): ... Dominus ...
20. (2-Part Clausula): ... Dominus ...
21. (2-Part Clausula): ... Dominus ...
22. (2-Part Motet): Factum Est Salutare/
23. (4-Part Organum): Viderunt Omnes ...
24. (Plainchant) ... Fines Terre Salutare Dei ...
25. (4-Part Organum): Notum Fecit ...
26. ... Dominus ...
27. .... Salutare Suum Ante Conspectum ...
28. (Plainchant) ... Justitiam Suam
29. (Plainchant): Viderunt Omnes ...
30. (Organum After 9th-Century Scolica Enchiriadis)...
31. (4-Part Organum): Sederunt Principes
32. (4-Part Conductus): Vetus Abit Littera

Customer Reviews:

Nice.......2006-11-04

This is a very good example of Polyphony as practiced in Notre Dame .....

A Resounding Success .......2005-12-27

If one read the album notes but failed to read the fine print on the rear of the jacket, one would likely assume that this recording was made in Notre Dame Cathedral, which it was not. It was recorded at Chancelade Abbey, Dordogne, France. (http://chapaq.free.fr/Congregations/Chancelade.htm)

The notes mention the fact that both Leonin and Perotin worked at Notre Dame and were both responsible for the Organum. Organum is Polyphony used in liturgical music from the late 9th century to c. 1250.

I bring this up because few people, even musicologists, understand the vital roles that acoustics and harmonics(overtones)played in the composition of sacred music until about the Seventeenth Century.

The musicologist, Thurston Dart, summarizes the influence that reverberation has on composers:

"But even a superficial study shows that early composers were very aware of the effect on their music of the surroundings in which it was to be performed, and that they deliberately shaped their music accordingly. Musical acoustics can be roughly divided into resonant, room and outdoor. Plainsong is resonant music; so is the harmonic style of Leonin and Perotin .. Perotin's music, in fact, is perfectly adapted to the acoustics of the highly resonant cathedral (Notre Dame Paris) for which it was written...."
(Thurston Dart, musicologist, "The interpretation of Music",Hutchinson, London pp56-57 (1954).

I think, like most 'moderns', Mr. Dart has got it backwards -- these composers were mostly aware of the effect of the surroundings upon their music. Composers like Leonin and Perotin and others, notably Allegri (composer of the famous "Miserere"), were more interested on the effect that the music, augmented by the acoustics, had on the congregation, in terms of literally uplifting their spirits and assisting them in participating directly in what was called the "Communion of Saints".


E. Power Biggs said: "An organist will take al the reverberation time he is given, and then ask for a bit more.... Many of Bach's organ works are designed .... to explore reverberation. Consider the pause that follows the ornamented proclamation that opens the famous Toccata in D minor. Obviously this is for the enjoyment of the notes as they remain suspended in the air". Church music sounds wrong when performed in a small non-reverberant space with a lot of acoustic absorbent such as curtains and carpets."
(http://www.acoustics.salford.ac.uk/acoustics_world/concert_hall_acoustics/acoustics_music.html)

E. Power Biggs and the pundits at Salford University, assume that Bach and his predecessors valued acoustics and resonance primarily from the standpoint of aesthetics. In other words, they chose reverberant halls because their music sounded better when performed in them. I believe that they too are missing the point. Acoustic Archeologists, like John Reid and Paul Devereux are beginning to discover that ancient holy places, such as Stonehenge and also the Gothic Cathedrals, like Notre Dame de Paris, were actually tuned to resonate certain specific pitches or sound frequencies. They are or contain what are called "resonant chambers".

A resonant chamber essentially reflects and amplifies or "empowers" certain specific frequencies, particularly when they are sung by a chorus (or congregation) of "pure voices" in unison. These frequencies and the harmonies reproduced by the reverberations elicited certain specific emotional responses, such as awe and reverence, from the assembly. I'm sure that Leonin and Perotin were well aware of the marvelous acoustics of Notre Dame and structured their music to take full advantage of it.

After the invention of the printing press, increasingly more emphasis was placed on the written and spoken word. Music was no longer spontaneously created or improvised and less and more reverberant acoustics only served to muddle the words of the preacher or celebrant.

I'm guessing that the reason why the producer, Jeremy Summerly, chose not to record this music in its original home is because it now uses a P.A. or electronic audio system, which is more appropriate for the modern mostly-spoken Mass. Masses are undoubtedly still sung there but the voices are likely amplified and filtered by electronics. The addition of modern furnishings can also affect the acoustics.

Speaking of electronics -- it is now possible to accurately reproduce the acoustics of a particular space, like Notre Dame Cathedral, electronically. The acoustics of Notre Dame have already been captured and digitally reproduced, I believe, by the Japanese Yamaha Company. Unfortunately, I did not have that particular software program ("algorhythm") but, using other software, I was able to create my own semi-cavernous cathedral space.

What an awesome experience!

Even without the virtual cathedral enhancement, the sound is marvelous and the performance is excellent.

One more technical consideration -- this recording was recorded and edited at 24-bit resolution. Unlike recordings made at a lower bit-rate, the sound, particularly in the higher registers, is smooth and clean. I wish that Jeremy Summerly would record Allegri's "Miserere" in a space that is acoustically similar to the Sistine Chapel, using the same technology. I haven't heard a recording of this work where the vital higher harmonics are not badly distorted.

Tim O'Hanlon

A Voice Feast from the Middle Ages.......2005-07-23

Recorded and edited in 24 bit resolution, this Naxos recording is a joy to the ears. The performing voices are solid and the direction of Antony Pitts has a sometimes dramatic, majestic, tempo. The only reason I did not concede full 5 stars is because in the Middle Ages female voices for Lithurgy were almost unknown, and in this record there are two sopranos and an Alto. If you enjoy Early Music you will need this record, if you are a beginner this is an intelligent way to introduce you to Polyphony, a cornerstone of Western music.

Average customer rating: Early Vocal Music at its Best Superb Singing Seeds Sown in Medieval Times Flower with a Contemporary Work

Stella Maris Trio Mediaeval , Anonymous Notre Dame School , English Anonymous , Sungji Hong , Perotin , and English Polyphony Manufacturer: Ecm Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music ECM Classical | ECM Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music ECM Jazz & World | ECM Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 20% Off | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Similar Items: Words of the Angel Soir, Dit-Elle Lamentate The Origin of Fire: Music and Visions of Hildegard von Bingen Osvaldo Golijov: Ayre ASIN: B000AGK7HU Release Date: 2005-10-10

Tracks:

1. Medieval Pieces Of The English And French Vocal Styles From The 13th And 14th Centuries
2. Medieval Pieces Of The English And French Vocal Styles From The 13th And 14th Centuries
3. Medieval Pieces Of The English And French Vocal Styles From The 13th And 14th Centuries
4. Medieval Pieces Of The English And French Vocal Styles From The 13th And 14th Centuries
5. Medieval Pieces Of The English And French Vocal Styles From The 13th And 14th Centuries
6. Medieval Pieces Of The English And French Vocal Styles From The 13th And 14th Centuries
7. Medieval Pieces Of The English And French Vocal Styles From The 13th And 14th Centuries
8. Missa Lumen De Lumine
9. Missa Lumen De Lumine
10. Missa Lumen De Lumine
11. Missa Lumen De Lumine
12. Missa Lumen De Lumine

Customer Reviews:

Early Vocal Music at its Best.......2007-05-14

Trio Mediaeval can easily claim the title of the best early music female group worldwide.

This is simply great and moving music and while there is a prevailing sense of somber piety throughout, there is enough variety in each selection to keep the listener thoroughly engaged. Trio Mediaeval's deeply expressive singing and virtuoso technique are up to the highest standards and you have to consider that some of the pieces make rather pressing demands on the Scandinavian singers.

ECM proved once more that, even in early music works (if not particuraly in this genre), provides unprecedented quality of performance in every sense.

Superb Singing.......2007-05-13

Trio Mediaeval makes glorious, soul-stirring music and this recording majestically brings their unique sound home: you'll feel their voices reaching inside you.

Seeds Sown in Medieval Times Flower with a Contemporary Work.......2005-09-29

The Trio Mediaeval continues its fine reputation and tradition as an exemplary group capable of capturing the essence of the Gregorian chant while encouraging contemporary composers to emulate this classic form of music with new compositions. For this their third recoding the Trio continues to survey early music for a cappela voices and this time adds the tenor voice of John Potter as the ethereal leader in 'O Maria, stella maris, conductus'. The result is incandescent music making.

In addition to the medieval works for which they are well known, this album present the premiere recording of 'Missa Lumen de Lumine' by contemporary Korean composer Sunji Hong. While the twenty-five minute Mass incorporates the fundamental structure of the original chants, Hong suffuses the writing with subtle contemporary moods and passages that are astonishingly appropriate. The work is divided into Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei. The performance is impeccable contributing to the fact that Hong has amazing gifts as a composer. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp

Average customer rating: An English Ladymass: Medieval Chant and Polyphony The Secret of Success Other worldly bliss Angelic Purity Stunning and uplifting

An English Ladymass: Medieval Chant and Polyphony Anonymous , Marsha Genensky , and Anonymous 4 Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi Fr. ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Anonymous 4 | ( A ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Masses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Classical | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: 1000: A Mass for the End of Time / Anonymous 4 On Yoolis Night: Medieval Carols & Motets - Anonymous 4 The Lily and the Lamb: Chant and Polyphony from Medieval England The Origin of Fire: Music and Visions of Hildegard von Bingen La Bele Marie: Songs to the Virgin from 13th-Century France ASIN: B0000007DL Release Date: 1993-03-08

Tracks:

1. An English Ladymass: Prosa: Gaude virgo salutata (chant)
2. An English Ladymass: Polyphonic song: Edi beo thu hevene quene
3. An English Ladymass: Introit: Salve mater redemptoris Salve lux langentium Salve sine spina Salve sancta parens
4. An English Ladymass: Motet: Lux polis refulgens Lux et gloria
5. An English Ladymass: Kyrie: Kyria christifera
6. An English Ladymass: Gloria
7. An English Ladymass: Motet: Spiritus et alme Gaude virgo salutata
8. An English Ladymass: Song: Miro genere
9. An English Ladymass: Gradual: Benedicta et venerabilis
10. An English Ladymass: Alleluia: Alme iam ad gaudia - Alme matris dei - Alleluya per te dei
11. An English Ladymass: Sequence: Missus Gabriel del celis
12. An English Ladymass: Prosa: Gaude virgo gratiosa (chant)
13. An English Ladymass: Polyphonic song: Salve virgo virginum
14. An English Ladymass: Offertory: Felix namque (chant)
15. An English Ladymass: Sanctus & Benedictus
16. An English Ladymass: Sequence - Song: Jesu Cristes milde moder
17. An English Ladymass: Agnus dei: Virtute numinis
18. An English Ladymass: Communion: Beata viscera (chant & song)
19. An English Ladymass: Rondellus: Flos regalis
20. An English Ladymass: Chant Setting: Ite missa est
21. An English Ladymass: Hymn: Ave maris stella

Amazon.com essential recording

In the six years since this female quartet astonished the music world with its clear- voiced, impeccably sung renditions of medieval chant and polyphonic music, chant rose from the dark and dusty corners of classical music to enjoy a phenomenal run at center stage. New and reissued chant recordings achieved sales figures normally reserved for popular music. This is the recording that started it all (that Spanish monks disc came later), winning awards and earning near- permanent resident status on the national charts. Spiritually moving and vocally revelatory, this program re-creates a kind of mass sung in English churches during the 13th and 14th centuries. With their warm tone and perfect intonation, these four singers achieve an expressiveness that is rare among chant interpreters, most effective in the seductive, highly ornamented "Kyrie." The sound is exemplary--although a studio recording, it perfectly conveys the atmosphere of an English cathedral. --David Vernier

Customer Reviews:

An English Ladymass: Medieval Chant and Polyphony.......2007-06-14

Beautiful and lyrical and very satisfying to listen to while working or mediating. It's everything I hoped it would be!!

The Secret of Success.......2006-04-26

An English Ladymass. 13th and 14th Century Chant and Polyphony in Honor of the Virgin Mary. Performed by Anonymous 4 (Ruth Cunningham, Martha Genensky, Susan Hellauer and Johanna Rose).
Recorded in October, 1991, at Skywalker Sound, Nicasio, California.
Harmonia Mundi HMU 907080. Total time: 59’01”.

Musically, this is one of those rare, very special discs that not only sells well and then disappears into oblivion but that sells well and then stays relevant for many, many years. While re-listening to it, I asked myself again and again what the secret of its success was. A number of answers suggested themselves, none of them completely satisfactory, but all together providing something of a key. First, of course, there are the pure, vibrato-less soprano voices, combining in what some reviewers have, quite correctly I feel, termed “angelic” harmony. The booklet, unfortunately, does not give much information about the performers, but I seemed to hear here one very high soprano voice, what in English Renaissance music would be called a “mean”, plus two “normal” sopranos and an alto. The excitement of the high “mean” soprano and the narrow harmonies of the other voices can truly send shivers of delight down your spine. This is an effect that one usually only hears on discs of choral music (for example, on some of Harry Christophers’s recordings of the masses of John Taverner for Hyperion), and it is guaranteed to uplift the soul and impress with the beauty of the human voice. But added to this here are the medieval melodies, which, although often very strange to our ears, seem to reflect our common past and appear, in a certain way, to be familiar, perhaps as an echo of the joint human memory of those centuries of sacred music – or perhaps just as an individual memory of liturgical song heard in childhood. And of course, the music itself has an intensely “spiritual” flavour, with the excellent recording technique, the absolute stillness of the background and the ensemble’s decision to do without any instrumental accompaniment amounting to an invitation to meditation and devotion.

Perhaps it is indicative, however, of our post-modern age that none of my fellow Amazon reviewers appears to have reflected on the texts which Anonymous 4 have here put together (the result of painstaking musicological research, I should add). Despite all my enthusiasm for the sound and the music of this disc, I have to add that as an evangelical Christian (and as a child of the Enlightenment) I find the unabashed, sensuous Mariolatry of these medieval texts to be profoundly disturbing and, from a Protestant standpoint, utterly heretical. You don’t have to be a Catholic to enjoy the wonderful singing on this disc, but if you study the texts (which are printed in full with translations), you may, like me, become very grateful for what Martin Luther, John Calvin and their followers did for the Church.

As a footnote I should, perhaps, add that if you have enjoyed Anonymous 4's music-making, you might also like to try that of the Italian female ensemble La Reverdie, whose discs for the French label Arcana, although very different, also have some of the qualities that made Anonymous 4 so successful.

Other worldly bliss.......2006-03-25

The American Angels fly again from their permanent perch in heaven, inviting us all to accept this bliss. And they did this

recording many years ago. Timeless perfection and beauty.

Kim Thomas Hartman

Angelic Purity.......2006-01-20

It seems pointless to add another 5-star review to the list, but I have to. This CD is simply one of the most beautiful recordings ever made, and it touches your soul with every listening. If you are content, it will bolster and reinforce your tranquil mind. If you are sad or depressed, it will force tears from your eyes and rip sobs from your breast, setting you on the healing path. If you are happy, it will make you prance about your flat like a gleeful child.
It is wonderful as background music, and yet engaging enough for attentive listening. If you don't own this CD, you should buy it today.

Stunning and uplifting.......2005-10-11

The Ladymass is a special votive mass dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary - most major cathedrals would have a daily mass in the Lady chapel (a smaller worship space within the cathedral), and some churches would have special masses in honour of the Virgin on Saturdays. According to Hellauer, 'Of the English polyphony preserved from this time, almost all of which is sacred, roughly two-thirds is in honour of the Virgin.' The work here does not occur in one set piece as it might have back in the medieval times, for no complete records of this sort have survived. The Anonymous 4 have pieced together elements including chants, motets, and other mass elements to complete the task.

The voices of the Anonymous 4 are markedly different from men-and-boys choirs or monks that are typically the recording artists of this kind of music. It is often forgotten that such music was sung by women and monastic communities of nuns in the medieval time, too. One critic remarked, 'There is a captivating simplicity and directness about their performance, which naturally avoids many of the pitfalls of an overstretched attempt at reconstruction.' This is certainly true in this recording, which is wonderful in tone.

There is a spirit to the music. It is remarkable that a group with three sopranos and an alto could give such breadth and depth to the music, but it certainly is true of their performances. This particular recording is the first of theirs done for Harmonia Mundi.

-- Liner Notes --
This text accompaniment to this disc is very full, so much so that the booklet is not contained within the jewel case, but rather within a slipcover in which both the CD/jewel case and the booklet reside. The liner notes include a description of the work, a brief piece about the quartet, and the lyrics of the songs both in Latin and in translation - all repeated in English, German, and French sections.

-- Anonymous 4 --
Contrary to the implication of their name, the Anonymous 4 are not anonymous. This is a vocal quartet made up of Ruth Cunningham, Marsha Genensky, Susan Hellauer, and Johanna Rose at the time of this recording (Ruth Cunningham will later go on to a solo career early, and another member will join - Jacqueline Horner). They came together as a formal group in 1986, and have been ensemble-in-residence at St. Michael's Church in New York City, giving concert series in New York as well as throughout North America. They have been featured a number of times on national media in North America as well as Germany. They then went on to yet more success, eventually performing more that 1000 concerts worldwide.

Their specialty is working with chant, monophonic and polyphonic music, and working with medieval texts. According to one source, 'The group takes its name from an anonymous music theorist of the late 13th century, Anonymous IV, who is the principal source on the two famous composers of the Notre Dame school, Léonin and Pérotin.'

The group ended a touring career of nearly two decades in 2004.

Average customer rating: Original, Brilliant, but Flawed Great vocals but saxophone has to go! I Wish I Could be More Positive, but... ((saxophonist) + (chant + polyphony + motets)) = Officium Absolutely Gorgeous!

Officium - Jan Gabarek & The Hilliard Ensemble Cristobal de Morales , Pierre de LaRue , Perotin , Guillaume Dufay , Gregorian Chant , Jan Garbarek , Rogers Covey-Crump , David James , Gordon Jones , and John Potter Manufacturer: ECM Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Dufay | Dufay, Guillaume | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Morales, Cristóbal de | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Sacred & Religious | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music | Requiems Vocal & Song | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music | Requiems General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Modern Postbebop | Jazz | Styles | Music Bebop & Post-Bop | Compilations | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Chants | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Hymns | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Masses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Partsongs | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Songs & Lieder | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music ECM Classical | ECM Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music ECM Jazz & World | ECM Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Mnemosyne / Garbarek, Hilliard Ensemble Twelve Moons Officium In Praise of Dreams Witchi-Tai-To ASIN: B0000031YD Release Date: 1994-09-13

Tracks:

1. Parce mihi domine
2. Primo tempore
3. Sanctus
4. Regnantem sempiterna
5. O salutaris hostia
6. Procedentem sponsum
7. Pulcherrima rosa
8. Parce mihi domine
9. Beata viscera
10. De spineto nata rosa
11. Credo
12. Ave maris stella
13. Virgo flagellatur
14. Oratio Ieremiae
15. Parce mihi domine

Amazon.com essential recording

"What is this music?" Fundamentally, it's an exploration of what happens when an improvisatory instrumental voice (saxophone) is placed into the world of early vocal music, which has elements of both improvisation and formal structure. In reality, it's an adventure in which the four male voices of the Hilliard Ensemble travel the 14th- and 15th-century territory of Morales and Dufay, visit the 12th century of Perotin, and roam even earlier ages of plainchant, accompanied by the always sensitive and tasteful, often astonishing, saxophone improvisations of jazz master Jan Garbarek. Sometimes, these new melodies simply accompany; sometimes they transform the common--a routine minor chord, for instance--into a sublime, indescribable moment. The answer to the above question is easy, but it's different for each listener. --David Vernier

Customer Reviews:

Original, Brilliant, but Flawed.......2007-03-24

I'm a big fan both of Garbarek and of "early music", so I bought this album with enthusiasm when it first came out a decade ago. I wasn't disappointed, but I do find it uneven. Garbarek was experimenting throughout the process of recording this work, and some of his ideas are better than others. I understand completely those who complain about the soprano sax not blending well with the vocals - there are tracks where it's just too up-front and edgy to fit into the mix. But the tracks where the sax is recorded from further away, particularly those where a tenor sax is used, are absolutely sublime. For those moments, it deserves more than 4 stars. For the moments where the soprano sax is too shrill, I'd take off a fraction of a point if I could, but if I've got to call it a "4" or a "5", I'd give it a 5.

Great vocals but saxophone has to go!.......2007-03-19

This cd has extremely beautiful vocals and chants that conjure up sublime images of baronial castles, knights in armore and ornately decorated fireplaces of old. This is until Jan's 20-21st century saxophone weaves its way into this otherwise heavenly image. The sound quietly fades in out of nowhere and eventually drowns out the vocals. It then seems to meander in and out thoughout the rest of the song. If you like John Dowland meets Kenny G., this is for you. Otherwise, if you're looking for "pure" early music, you might want to stick with other Hilliard Ensemble music sans Mr. Garbarek.

I Wish I Could be More Positive, but..........2007-01-06

...but I really hate the soprano sax played over these beautiful pieces. The singing is superb and the repertoire is rare (only one other recording of the Morales, for instance, and that is done quite differently, anent the sax).

I think I would have liked it better if Garbarak had played a lower horn, like an alto or tenor sax. These pieces are about something, and I don't feel that Gabarak really knew what the texts were about and what the composers were responding to in the texts.

I keep it for the exquisite "Parce mihi Domine" sung withoug the screeching sax.

((saxophonist) + (chant + polyphony + motets)) = Officium.......2004-04-22

I bought this album on a whim shortly after its release several years ago after never having listened to any of its tracks, and was completely surprised when I heard it being played as I entered the stave church model located in the Norway region of Disney's Epcot Center during my first visit to the park earlier this year, because I have never at any time heard any of its tracks played anywhere outside my home. The stave church is a strange place to play this secular work, but perhaps the layperson might discover the reasons for this if the liner notes included English translations of the Latin. In my opinion, this album is comprised of some of the best blends of music styles I have ever heard. Essentially, the blends consist of Latin lyrics from the pre-12th through 16th centuries set to jazz. According to the liner notes, the vocal quartet produces "chant, reaching back to its pre-literate forms; early polyphony, where the number of parts was a matter of experiment and the same piece could exist in many different versions; and Renaissance motets that were conceived chordally, and might provide structures over which a saxophone could improvise". The unity of these music forms were united in light of the fact that just as jazz had no name at the beginning of the 20th century, polyphony did not have a name when it began 1000 years ago. As the liner notes explain, "these two nameless historical moments were points of departure for two of the most fundamental ideas in Western music: improvisation and composition".

Absolutely Gorgeous!.......2002-01-10

This is one of the most innovative and sublime CDs in my expansive collection. I'll stay away from trying to explain what centuries the pieces were written in, blah, blah, blah. Bottom line: they were all written before the saxophone was invented. Therefore, Garbarek's "intrusions" should seem as such, interrupting the Hilliard Ensemble's vocalizing. Quite the contrary, though. Garbarek's first notes, although somewhat unexpected, seem quite appropriate and fitted. His "improvisations" around the traditional structure of the vocals are sometimes subtle, sometimes more upfront, but always in keeping with the spirit of the original pieces. He winds and weaves his way around and through the vocal arrangements like a fifth vocalist--no restraints or boundaries but with a keen ear for what will sound good where.

This CD is on my very short list of classical "desert island" discs and ranks right up there with Bobby McFerrin and Yo-Yo Ma's HUSH for improvisational yet traditional music, with ingenious wrinkles thrown in. It's hard to call it straight classical, but it isn't exactly jazz, either. The styles are merged beautifully. The best metaphor I can think of would be a braid: separate entities intertwined and working together for a common goal and a common effect.

Anyone who claims to be a fan of good music--jazz, classical, or whatever--should check out this CD. It is a bit on the mellow side, so don't expect a Keith Jarrett improvisational explosion or a thunderous symphonic event. In the vein of the works of Anonymous 4, another spectacular classical vocal group, this CD is a meditative, almost spiritual experience. It will not disappoint!!

Average customer rating: A new musical Christmas tradition Christmas Songs from Many Nations - Flawlessly Sung

Christmas With the Trapp Family Singers The Trapp Family Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Easy Listening | Pop | Styles | Music General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music General Christmas | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music Opera & Vocal | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music General Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music Similar Items: The Original Trapp Family Singers At Home with the Trapp Family Singers Christmas With the Von Trapp Children The Von Trapp Children, Vol. 2 Volume 1 ASIN: B0002KV296 Release Date: 2004-10-12

Tracks:

1. Es ist ein' Ros' entsprungen (Speierisches Gesangbuch, K 1599) - (German Chorale)
2. Hirrten, wachet auf!
3. Zu Bethlehem geboren
4. Deck the hall with boughs of Holly
5. A la nanita nana
6. Il est ne divin enfant
7. La canzone di natale
8. Es hat sich halt eret
9. Jesus Jesus Rest Your Head
10. Shepherds come a-running
11. Lobt Gott, ihr Christen alle gleich
12. Es wird schon glei dumpa
13. Nu det jul igen
14. Ihr Kinderlein, kommet
15. Der Scheibendudler
16. Carol of the Drum - Transcribed by C.R.W. Robertson
17. Deine Wangelen
18. Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht
19. Angelus ad pastores ait
20. In Nativitate Domini
21. Puer natus est nobis
22. Beata Viscera
23. Pastorale
24. Quem pastores - Den die Hirten
25. Senex Puerum Portabat

Customer Reviews:

A new musical Christmas tradition.......2004-12-14

This recording was my first experience with the Trapp Family Singers (other than knowing the story from The Sound of Music). I cannot state how pleasently surprised I was.

First of all, the technical quality of the recording is extraordinary. The selections were originally mastered between 1951 - 1953 by Deutsche Grammophon. Yet, despite the early dates, they sound like they were recorded yesterday.

The performances are even more extraordinary. The a capella settings of these traditional Christmas songs are rich in harmony and performed with a clarity rarely heard today. Of particular interest is the Michael Praetorius setting of Es ist ein Ros' entsprungen (Lo how a rose err blooming), Deck the hall with boughs of holly, and the Bach setting of Lobt Gott, ihr Christen alle gleich.

The family is conducted by Dr. Franz Wasner and the enclosed booklet offers a wonderful history of the family by writer Steven Ledbetter.

Overall, this recording has quickly become a new Christmas favorite of mine. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Christmas Songs from Many Nations - Flawlessly Sung.......2004-10-14

The first 18 tracks on this CD are from an LP of the same name that was a family favorite of ours since the 60s. The vocals are very precise, with noticeable German accents (especially on "Jesus Rest Your Head"). The Trapps, directed by Fr. Wasner, perform songs from their native Austria, including the hauntingly beautiful Scheibendudler (a kind of solemn jodler). Some listeners may not much like their rendition of traditional English or American songs (Deck the Halls, Jesus Rest Your Head). The less familiar Latin and foreign songs are a real treat. Favorites are "A la Nanita" (Spanish), Nu ar de Jul Igen (Swedish), and "Zu Bethlehem Geboren" (German). Most songs are done a capella, although there is recorder accompaniment on one or two. A songbook containing the first 18 songs with music is available from Amazon. All in all, a fine recording and great change of pace from the more usual Christmas music.

Average customer rating: Absolutely Outstanding!!! Not to be missed! Beautiful and Flawless The King's Singers Overcome Obsticles of Byrd and Tallis

The King"s Singers: English Renaissance Manufacturer: RCA ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Byrd, William | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Tallis | Tallis, Thomas | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music King's Singers | ( K ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Anthems | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Motets | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: All At Once Well Met: English Madrigals; The King's Singers The King's Singers Original Debut Recording Watching the White Wheat: Folk Songs of the British Isles; King's Singers Annie Laurie ~ Folksongs of the British Isles / Barrueco · The King's Singers The Kings Singers - New Day ASIN: B000003FSO Release Date: 1995-02-14

Tracks:

1. Haec Dies
2. Te Lucis Ante Terminum (I)
3. Beata Viscera Mariae Virginis
4. Ave Verum Corpus
5. Vigilate
6. Viri Galilaei
7. Te Lucis Ante Terminum (II)
8. Lamentations Of Jeremiah, First Set: Incipit Lamentatio
9. Lamentations Of Jeremiah, First Set: Aleph
10. Lamentations Of Jeremiah, First Set: Beth
11. Lamentations Of Jeremiah, First Set: Ierusalem
12. Lamentations Of Jeremiah, Second Set: De Lamentatione
13. Lamentations Of Jeremiah, Second Set: Gimel
14. Lamentations Of Jeremiah, Second Set: Daleth
15. Lamentations Of Jeremiah, Second Set: Heth
16. Lamentations Of Jeremiah, Second Set: Ierusalem
17. If Ye Love Me
18. O Lord, Make Thy Servant Elizabeth, Our Queen
19. Sing Joyfully
20. Laudibus In Sanctis

Customer Reviews:

Absolutely Outstanding!!!.......2005-02-12

I own several other King's Singer CDs, but this one is definitely my favorite. Every track is a gem! It is amazing that only six vocalists are able to produce such beautiful harmonies. My favorite tracks are:
-"Te Lucis Ante Terminum (I)" This begins with Gregorian chant done in the way that God intended for it to be sung. When I am listening to this, I imagine it being performed in an English cathedral, and I imagine the entire building resonating with the music. After the opening unison Gregorian chant, the music changes into a polyphonic and harmonic style that is a very interesting textural contrast. Wonderful!
-"The Lamentations of the Prophet Jeremiah" This is a wonderful example of the highest form of English polyphony. I have a CD that has the Choir of King's College performing the "Lamentations", however, the King's Singers' version on this CD is much clearer and richer.

If you like this type of music, then this album is for you. Even if you are not sure if you like this kind of music, I would still recommend purchasing this recording. You won't regret it.

Not to be missed!.......2002-01-22

This CD is absolutely essential. These guys know their music inside and out, and the dynamic levels they are able to achieve should be the envy of any ensemble.

The album contains an exceptional recording of Tallis's "The Lamentations of Jeremiah" which are virtually unperformed in the music world, but are exquisite pieces of vocal polyphony. I highly recommend this album for that reason alone.

Listen to it as an activity in and of itself, with no background noise if possible. You will be rewarded! Also, it is a great album to help you fall asleep, if you use music to relax.

If you like Early music, you MUST acquire this CD! End of story!

Beautiful and Flawless.......2000-12-08

The King's Singers are one of the best small vocal ensembles in the world today. With beautiful, strong, clear voices, they sing new life into some of the loveliest melodies of the two wonderful English composers. Their voices seem perfectly suited to this music, and indeed their performance itself is essentially perfect--I cannot find a single significant fault with anything on this recording. The quality of singing is absolutely first-rate. In particular, the sound of the male contralto is wonderfully pure. If you like Byrd and Tallis, then you are in for a wonderful treat with a purchase of this CD. If you are not very familiar with the composers, or the Singers, then I am sure this CD will make you quite a fan of both! This is very, very lovely music.

The King's Singers Overcome Obsticles of Byrd and Tallis.......2000-06-10

William Byrd. Thomas Tallis. Both were common copmosers in the Renaissance era that were sure to offer up a challenge to anyone who dared. The King's Singers were up there to challenge the music of Byrd and Tallis. What an interesting choice of composers too. Byrd was known to be the most respected composer of his time in England (1543-1623), which may also be the reason he got away with composing music for both the banned Catholic church and the new Angelican church.

I honetly do not know much about Tallis, but I think that "Te Lucias ante Termnium I" shows well defined and blended harmonies while focusing on an excellent bass line. "Haec Dies" sounded like two different SATB choirs copying each other while actually the music is only SSATTB; they made a masterpiece out of a song that only consists of: 'Haec dies, quam fecit Dominus, Exultemus, et laetemur, inea, Alleluia'. The melodies were bouncy and fizzed with intense pop and curiosity to what was coming up, how the style format was going to suprise you next. "Beata Viscera Maria Virgins" demonstrated brilliant sections as well as dramatic dynamics. "Ave Verum Corpus" drifted me into a daze with beautiful melody lines to relax to. "Viqilate" created a sea of harmonies using the basic lyric line while brilliantly intensifying with each word.

The King's Singers have once again proved they are serious singers by tackling a new challenge: music that invloes dramatic dynamics and does not always have smooth transitions. Not only did they manage to pull it off, they also perfected the music and performed it with such eloquency it almost sounds easy. Almost. I have personally performed some music composed by William Byrd, and it is not easy. That is all part of brilliance. '-English Renaissance' has definitly proved that the King's Singers can overcome obsticles with grace and purify the rest, such as "You Are the New Day", with their beautiful sound. This is one album that is worth the trouble to understand.

Average customer rating: They totally earned the 5 GODMOD GETS ME STOMPIN AND MORE Dark and awesome

Viscera God Module Manufacturer: Metropolis Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Electronica | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music Industrial Dance | Industrial | Goth & Industrial | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: The Failure Epiphany Gelb Artificial 2.0 ASIN: B000BB18QI Release Date: 2005-10-11

Tracks:

1. The Source
2. Inside Out
3. False Pretense
4. Still So Strange
5. Lucid
6. A Night Like This
7. Sections
8. Forseen
9. Lost Time
10. Winter Torture
11. A Simple Restriction

Album Description

Their third release is easily their most brutally melodic sonic assault yet. Tracks range from relentlessly aggressive dance floor assaults to violently beautiful mid-tempo laments. Also included is a nostalgic reflection of band member Jasyn's youth in the classic Cure cover "A Night Like This", torn apart from its original state and reconstructed as a God Mod dance floor anthem. "Viscera" is sure to cement God Module's place among the top of the dark-electronic dance scene.

Customer Reviews:

They totally earned the 5 .......2006-12-30

You really can't go wrong with God Module.In my opinon, they are one of the few newer industrial bands to be passed the torches in industrial music. Which speaks volumes when the scene is fading fast.
Virtually every song is perfection. When I heard god mods cover of the Cures "A Night Like This", I practically crea-... well, nevermind...but you get the picture. If You can get your hands on the limited edition of this album your even luckier. God Module deserves no less than 5 stars no matter what the album.

GODMOD GETS ME STOMPIN AND MORE.......2006-07-23

this cd is awesome. pretty much my favorite thing to listen to next to Velvet Acid Christ. since i am a gymnast, i will definitely use God Module for my floor routine music! if you love violent lyrics and agressive dancefloor electro, then this is the cd for you!

Dark and awesome.......2005-10-27

From what I can tell, God Module generally puts out some pretty high quality albums and dance-floor industrial. I've heard some of their other stuff on DigitalGunfire, and really like a lot of it. So, after listening to the samples on their websiter, I liked what I heard and decided to buy this album.

Well, it lived up to my expectations! The beginning (like the first 7-9 songs) is awesome, in my humble opinion. The lyrics are well written, and the tunes are driving. I especially like Sections and Still So Strange. Track 10, however, I really dislike. And unfortunately, track 11 usually dosen't make up for it, and I end up with a sort of sour opinion (Track 11 is great too, though). But for the other songs I definitely reccomend this CD.

Oh, and the CD art is really high-quality with a great surreal aspect.

Average customer rating: I Wish I Could be More Positive... Perfect for "Old Souls" Mixed feelings about mixed genres Wow. What Coltrane hears in heaven

Officium Anonymous , Czech Anonymous , Guillaume Dufay , Pierre de La Rue , Cristobal de Morales , Perotin , Sarum Chant , Hilliard Ensemble , and Jan Garbarek Manufacturer: Ecm Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Dufay | Dufay, Guillaume | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Morales, Cristóbal de | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Sacred & Religious | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music | Requiems Vocal & Song | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music | Requiems Hilliard Ensemble | ( H ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Chants | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Hymns | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Partsongs | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Songs & Lieder | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music ECM Classical | ECM Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music ECM Jazz & World | ECM Records | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Mnemosyne / Garbarek, Hilliard Ensemble Twelve Moons In Praise of Dreams Officium - Jan Gabarek & The Hilliard Ensemble Perotin / The Hilliard Ensemble ASIN: B000025IL0 Release Date: 1999-11-16

Tracks:

1. Parce mihi domine
2. Primo tempore
3. Sanctus
4. Regnantem sempiterna
5. O salutaris hostia
6. Procedentem sponsum
7. Pulcherrima rosa
8. Parce mihi domine
9. Beata viscera
10. De spineto nata rosa
11. Credo
12. Ave maris stella
13. Virgo flagellatur
14. Oratio Ieremiae
15. Parce mihi domine

Tracks:

1. Parce mihi domine
2. Primo tempore
3. Sanctus
4. Regnantem sempiterna
5. O salutaris hostia
6. Procedentem sponsum
7. Pulcherrima rosa
8. Parce mihi domine
9. Beata viscera
10. De spineto nata rosa
11. Credo
12. Ave maris stella
13. Virgo flagellatur
14. Oratio Ieremiae
15. Parce mihi domine

Amazon.com

What is this music? Fundamentally, it's an exploration of what happens when an improvisatory instrumental voice (saxophone) is placed into the world of early vocal music--which has elements of both improvisation and formal structure. In reality, it's an adventure in which the four male voices of the Hilliard Ensemble travel the 14th- and 15th-century territory of Morales and Dufay, visit the 12th century of Perotin, and roam even earlier ages of plainchant, accompanied by the always sensitive and tasteful--and often astonishing--saxophone improvisations of jazz master Jan Garbarek. Sometimes, these new melodies simply accompany; sometimes they transform the common--a routine minor chord, for instance--into a sublime, indescribable moment. The answer to the above question is easy--but it's different for each listener. --David Vernier

Customer Reviews:

I Wish I Could be More Positive..........2007-01-06

...but I really hate the soprano sax played over these beautiful pieces. The singing is superb and the repertoire is rare (only one other recording of the Morales, for instance, and that is done quite differently, anent the sax).

I think I would have liked it better if Garbarak had played a lower horn, like an alto or tenor sax. These pieces are about something, and I don't feel that Gabarak really knew what the texts were about and what the composers were responding to in the texts.

I keep it for the exquisite "Parce mihi Domine" sung withoug the screeching sax.

Perfect for "Old Souls".......2006-12-15

I'll never forget hearing this music for the first time, in 1993 or 1994 at a sampling station at Borders. I have to admit I was intrigued by the cover photograph likely taken at a cemetery, of a spider web-draped angel statute. That was when CDs were still new, and my first thought was "This is the perfect sound for CDs: clear, quiet, ethereal." I bought the handsome 2-CD package then and there, and my interest in this unique musical project has gradually matured in the past decade. Most recently, following a significant family death in 2002, I've started a personal tradition of spending New Year's Eve alone at home, with only candles burning after 7:00 p.m., listing to recordings of great requiems (Mozart, Durufle, Rutter and Verdi) and The Hilliard Ensemble's Officium (translated to sense of duty, respect, service and allegiance). Spending the last day of the year this way is comforting, and allows me to continue to grieve appropriately. Officium transports me to another place and time, quasi-religious, celestial, meditative. The solo saxophone calls out as if speaking, questioning, affirming. It's not for everyone. This recording will never climb the charts, especially in today's shallow world of noise and self-importance. I would say if you're an "old soul," try listening to this gift of creativity and inspiration. It just might become one of the most valuable recordings you own - as it has for me ...

Mixed feelings about mixed genres.......2006-01-18

Although I enjoy listening to these recordings for their serenity and sense of magical wonder, I tend to sympathise with some of the less glowing reviewers. My favourite passages are, without a shadow of a doubt, those in which the eminent Mr Garbarek's sax is 'tacit' or, at least, 'pianissimo'. Indeed, from time to time I struggle with an impulse to shout out: "Oh shut up, Jan, and let me listen to those wonderful singers!" That said, the voices and the sax do sometimes synergise, though I get the distinct impression that Mr Garbarek was simply overdubbing an existing recording by the Hilliard Ensemble: he seems to be reacting to them, but not vice versa. And with more rehearsal, his notes might have been more appropriate. FINAL VERDICT: an interesting oddity, not an unmitigated success.

Wow........2005-10-12

Gregorian chant is one form of music. If you must have it in the pure form, go elsewhere.

Jazz sax is another form of music. If you are offended by restraining the sax to a gentle, wistful, melodious exploration, go elsewhere.

Otherwise, consider a rope: consisting of several smaller strands, a rope is a strong, limber, powerful thing which can achieve a great deal more than the strands from which it is woven. This music is a rope. The saxophone entwines itself inextricably through, above and around the unearthly vocals of the Hilliard ensemble. Neither the highly disciplined music of the singers, nor the restrained music of the saxophone makes a deeply powerful statement in its own right -- but together, they become something above and beyond, something that completely transcends either genre.

This is an astonishing work. If you have the ability to listen, you will be rewarded beyond your hopes.

What Coltrane hears in heaven.......2005-07-16

If you haven't heard any of these tracks before, then almost nothing can prepare you for them. I do feel sorry for those listeners whose sensibilities have been outraged, and who believe that these songs are set in stone, and that no kind of improvisation is legal. The effect must be like seeing (as Prince Charles remarked of a modern building in London) a carbuncle on the face of a loved old friend.

Horrified reactions are, however, in the minority, since this album has sold in immense quantities -- and the reason is the ravishing beauty of the music, which is accessible to anyone with musical ears.

As with several Garbarek recordings, the sax occasionally seems louder than necessary, but then Garbarek must be a difficult performer to record, since his tonal range is so huge.

The natural melodies that flow from Garbarek's three horns have always had an air of belonging half a millennium away from the present; and his genius as a performer enables him to add a fifth voice to these ancient compositions that I am certain the original composers would have found far less shocking than the modern listeners who think them sacrilegious.

This music is heavenly and indescribable, but I urge anyone on this page to listen to the samples (bearing in mind that the sound is ravishing on a proper stereo) and make up your own mind.

Music is nobody's loved old friend, but a great city that needs to keep growing for ever, and this is a wonderful new building to dwell in and perceive beauty.

Average customer rating: Another masterpiece from Anonymous 4 The bewitching variety of Anonymous 4

La Bele Marie: Songs to the Virgin from 13th-Century France Anonymous 4 Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi Fr. ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Vocal & Song | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music | Requiems General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Classical | Imports | Stores | Music Similar Items: 1000: A Mass for the End of Time / Anonymous 4 The Origin of Fire: Music and Visions of Hildegard von Bingen Legends of St. Nicholas: Medieval Chant & Polyphony An English Ladymass: Medieval Chant and Polyphony The Lily and the Lamb: Chant and Polyphony from Medieval England ASIN: B00006ALAG Release Date: 2002-08-13

Tracks:

1. O maria o felix puerpera
2. Pia mater gratie
3. De la mere au sauveor
4. O maria virginei
5. Verbum bonum et suave
6. Ave salus hominum
7. Mainte changon au fait
8. Ave maria gracia plena
9. Perotin: Beata viscera
10. Mundum renovavit
11. Je te pri de cuer par amors
12. Salve sancta parens
13. Serena virginum
14. De la tres douce Marie
15. Ave virgo Virginum
16. Mater patris et filia
17. Ave nobilis venerabilis

Amazon.com

The arrival of a new Anonymous 4 album has become as much a fall ritual as the turning of the leaves. However, there's nothing rote about their 12th album for Harmonia Mundi. All 17 selections are in honor of the Virgin Mary, ground familiar to fans of the ensemble's breakthrough first album, An English Ladymass (as well as 1998's Lammas Ladymass). Drawing upon both the Latin liturgy and chansons adapted from the French trouvère tradition of secular love songs, the combination of sources powerfully illustrates how strong devotion to Mary was in medieval France. But even more immediately striking is the New York-based vocal quartet's near-magical ability to enrapture their listeners. Whether they are coursing through a simply elegant monophonic chant such as "O maria o felix puerpera," a dazzlingly florid work like "Mater patris et filia," or the ethereal harmonies of "Mundum renovavit," their perfect intonation and pure tone are sublime. There's a special treat here, too--each of the ladies performs one piece solo. It's a chance to hear each singer's unique contribution to the group's inimitable sound: Marsha Genensky's exquisite smoothness, Susan Hellauer's dark-hued loveliness, Jacqueline Horner's creamy lightness, and Johanna Maria Rose's radiant resonance. It's a record that will transport you to another world, and yet one more star to add to Anonymous 4's constellation of celestially beautiful recordings. --Anastasia Tsioulcas

Customer Reviews:

Another masterpiece from Anonymous 4.......2003-02-16

For me what sets apart an Anonymous 4 recording, besides the wongerful singing is the presentation of a coherent program that only enhances the listening enjoyment. This disc contains anonymous chansons and conducti--with the exception of the "Beata viscera" of Perotin. These enchanting hymns and songs to the virgin Mary are vividly brought to life by the ensemble. I highly recommend this recording.

The bewitching variety of Anonymous 4.......2002-10-23

The child-like simplicity beguiles the music's endless array of intricacies
and subtleties. The crisp phrasing, exquisite nuances, poingnant details of haunting beauty is heard throughout the disc. Perotin and Notre Dame over all, were lyrics of the first water.

Album Review:

1. Vol. 2-Ayurveda-Buddha Lounge [Import]
2. War on Plastic Plants [Import]
3. We Travel Fast [Extra tracks] [Import]
4. When Shapes Join Together V.2 [Import]
5. When Shapes Join Together V.3 [Import]
6. White Rabbits
7. Will I Ever [CD-single] [Import]
8. World of Dougal
9. You Own the Sound
10. Absorber [Import]

Album Review

album review

Album Review

Energy Pop [Import]

Hipolito Lazaro: The Recordings, 1926-1927

Indoubliable Alfred Deller: A Portrait [Box set]

Music CD: Coleccion de Oro [Box set]

More Movie Music [Original recording remastered] [Soundtrack] [Import]

Noises from the Cathouse [Import]

Mansion on the Hill [CD-single] [EP]

Paper Boy

London Concert Vol. 1 [Live]

Liszt: Fantasia & Fugue on; Pinkham: Man's Days Are Like The Grass

New Wine in Old Bottles [Import] [Original recording remastered]

Latin American Folklore Favorites

Just Be Straight with Me [CD-single] [Explicit Lyrics]

Good Book

Love to Love You Baby