There are many fine recordings of these works in the catalog, but you won’t find any of them better sung than these by the superb Bavarian Radio Choir. These are pieces–the Poulenc especially–that look reasonably easy on paper but are very difficult to pull off, for all sorts of reasons, including the tricky textural relationships and required melodic underlining, along with the usual challenges of a cappella singing–intonation, timbre, and sectional balances. From the consistently beautiful tone and clear diction, to the well-considered and perfectly executed phrasing and dynamics and gorgeous legatos, there’s virtually nothing here to criticize. “Mastery” is the word, along with sensitivity to texts and mood, that describes and defines these performances. Just one example is Duruflé’s beloved Ubi caritas, every line breathed with perfect naturalness, the voices always in balance with the melody, the harmonies warm and impeccably tuned–and the sound is ideal. There’s nothing more to say without repeating myself, except “hear this, all ye who love 20th-century French choral music.” [3/20/2006]
