Here’s another of Paul McCreesh’s “as it might have been” reconstructions, this time of the First Mass of Christmas in Venice’s St. Mark’s church “around 1600”. McCreesh’s customary focus on bringing to life the pomp and ceremony of a huge celebratory occasion offers huge rewards for the listener as musicology, the finest performing forces, and first-rate sound engineering combine to deliver a bold and beautiful “you are there” experience. The whole thing centers around Cipriano de Rore’s seven-part mass Praeter rerum seriem, a parody on a six-part motet by Josquin. It’s a gorgeous setting, and McCreesh’s vocal ensemble really digs into the emotional and spiritual heart of this music. The Sanctus and Agnus Dei are particularly affecting, but the entire mass has a rich textural voluptuousness and structural grandeur that certainly would be enough to make any music lover glad to attend church the day that mass was sung! The rest of the program features music by Giovanni Gabrieli, including some terrific instrumental pieces that literally fill the room with the richly resonant sound of cornetts, sackbuts, and organ, played with impressive clarity and virtuoso style by members of the Gabrieli Players.
As for the singers, at several points I felt that I could be listening to a Tallis Scholars recording–the tone quality and particularities of expression and ensemble are very similar. Not surprisingly, when I looked at the list of performers several Tallis Scholars names appeared–and I mention this only to inform those listeners who know and love that fine early music ensemble that they certainly will enjoy what they hear on this recording. The choral sound is largely affected by the absence of sopranos and the presence of male altos as the highest voice part, which imbues their music with a darker, mellower, reedier quality than we’re used to in most mixed choir configurations. Although purists will be disappointed that the recording wasn’t actually made in St. Mark’s, the acoustics of England’s Brinkburn Priory in Northumberland prove an amazingly suitable substitute. The concluding Quem vidistis pastores by Gabrieli (in an arrangement by H. Keyte for voices and instruments) is stunning. I haven’t always been impressed with McCreesh’s projects–but don’t miss this one.
