Here is an interesting compilation from the Robert Shaw section of Telarc’s treasured and illustrious master tape archives. Most of the performances are by Shaw’s famed Festival Singers–an ensemble made up of participants in the conductor’s summer festivals in the early to mid-1990s. Four of the tracks, recorded in France in 1989, have never been released before. Of these, Thomas Tallis’ If ye love me gets a bit grander treatment–huge choral sound, lots of resonance, drawn-out tempo–than this simple little anthem requires. Make no mistake, it’s very beautiful–no one could fault Shaw on his love of and ability to engender gorgeous choral sound–but it’s just a little overwrought in this context. Likewise for the other Tallis anthem, A New Commandment. Indeed, Shaw seems to be performing these pieces not for the music alone but to revel in the sheer beauty of his voices, this conductor’s dream of an ensemble–and we can take some sheer pleasure of our own in this as we listen. After all, for once isn’t it nice to just wallow in Victoria’s hair-raisingly lovely lines and tear-inducing harmonies (if you’ve sung these things you know what I mean) and let style take care of itself? Heaven knows these singers can sing a line that lasts until tomorrow without a breath, so why not ask them to do it? Nevertheless, we wouldn’t want to hear a whole concert of this–everything the same tempo, every line the same legato, the same rise and fall, even the alleluia section of Victoria’s O magnum mysterium. But it’s fun for a while.
The rest of the program consists of previously released material, including outstanding performances of Morton Lauridsen’s own setting of O magnum mysterium, another of the same text by Poulenc, a track from Shaw’s deservedly acclaimed Rachmaninov Vespers recording (get it if you don’t have it), a Schubert song for male chorus, three Shaw/Parker hymn arrangements, and Górecki’s Totus “totally-in-love-with-lush-harmonies” Tuus. Some listeners may not be in love with the resonant acoustic that tends to obscure the inner workings of this predominantly full-textured music, but it’s that rich, all-around-the-room choral sound that Shaw fans love. And they’ll get plenty of it here. [7/30/2000]
