In the Midst of Life
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Composer or Director: Robert I Parsons, Thomas Tallis, John Taverner, William Byrd, William Mundy, Dericke Gerarde
Genre:
Vocal
Label: Signature
Magazine Review Date: 05/2015
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 68
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: SIGCD408
Tracks:
Composition | Artist Credit |
---|---|
Circumdederunt me |
William Byrd, Composer
Contrapunctus Owen Rees, Conductor William Byrd, Composer |
Libera me, Domine |
Robert I Parsons, Composer
Contrapunctus Owen Rees, Conductor Robert I Parsons, Composer |
Audivi vocem de caelo |
William Byrd, Composer
Contrapunctus Owen Rees, Conductor William Byrd, Composer |
Sive vigilem |
William Mundy, Composer
Contrapunctus Owen Rees, Conductor William Mundy, Composer |
Peccantem me quotidie |
Robert I Parsons, Composer
Contrapunctus Owen Rees, Conductor Robert I Parsons, Composer |
Quemadmodum |
John Taverner, Composer
Contrapunctus John Taverner, Composer Owen Rees, Conductor |
Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis |
Thomas Tallis, Composer
Contrapunctus Owen Rees, Conductor Thomas Tallis, Composer |
Author: Alexandra Coghlan
It’s a shame that both the group’s name and the rather earnest cover of ‘In the Midst of Life’ (subtitled ‘Music from the Baldwin Partbooks, Vol 1’) may dissuade casual listeners from exploring the contents, because they would find much to delight here. This first selection from the rich Baldwin repertoire (Latin-texted English church music) broods on mortality, death and judgement. Works by Byrd, Tallis, Parsons and Sheppard feature alongside the odd wildcard – Dericke Gerarde’s Sive vigilem is a quietly extraordinary discovery.
Contrapunctus play a long game with this often slow-paced, meditative repertoire. These are understated performances whose moment-to-moment drama is less striking than the long, aching arcs they achieve over five or six minutes – director Owen Rees shows his experience here, making a case for a conductor in a climate in which musical democracy is increasingly king.
Choral blend is mossy-soft and balance immaculate, perfect for the yearning loveliness of Taverner’s Quemadmodum or Sheppard’s Media vita. After two discs of penitence, however, I’d love to hear something a bit more rhythmic, more energetic in their next release. If Contrapunctus can do vivid attack as well as they do misty piety, they may find themselves setting the bar in this repertoire.
Discover the world's largest classical music catalogue with Presto Music.
Gramophone Digital Club
- Digital Edition
- Digital Archive
- Reviews Database
- Full website access
From £8.75 / month
SubscribeGramophone Full Club
- Print Edition
- Digital Edition
- Digital Archive
- Reviews Database
- Full website access
From £11.00 / month
Subscribe
If you are a library, university or other organisation that would be interested in an institutional subscription to Gramophone please click here for further information.