This is the first release featuring the newly founded Collegium Musicum 90 under its directors Richard Hickox and Simon Standage. The Collegium embraces both choir and orchestra and they are joined in this programme of Bach and Vivaldi by a fine group of soloists. Vivaldi's Gloria, RV589 is much the better known of two settings which he made during his life; and in this performance it is prefaced by an Introduzione for soprano solo, Ostro picta (RV642). The motet and the Gloria may well belong together, in fact, though we cannot be certain. Emma Kirkby sings it deftly and with clear declamation; it is a short but engaging piece with a non-liturgical text and Kirkby held my attention, throughout. A promising start, then, to performances which go from strength to strength, though I found the strong beats in the opening chorus of the Gloria a shade overstressed. The ''Et in terra pax'', on the other hand is beautifully done—gracefully phrased, sensitively sung and poignant. Likewise, the duet, ''Laudamus te'' comes off well, a sparkling contrast with its darkly coloured neighbours. Emma Kirkby is joined here by Tessa Bonner, a soprano whose voice I have often admired elsewhere and which is evenly matched with the other. The lyrical ''Domine Deus'' is allotted to Kirkby whose tender, delicately shaded account of it is complemented by Anthony Robson's secure oboe playing. The two alto arias of the work are expressively sung by the countertenor, Michael Chance. Whether Vivaldi had such a voice at his disposal in Venice is a moot point but with singing of this calibre the issue is hardly a burning one. Choral singing is responsive to Hickox's direction and achieves a pleasing radiance where such is called for.
The other work is Bach's Magnificat in whose music Hickox revels, drawing the listeners' attention to myriad subtleties in the writing. The choir is excellent here as indeed are the soloists. Only the trumpet playing occasionally lacked security, above all in the opening number. Hickox highlights the splendid contrasts in the score, contrasts in texture, in affect, in colour and in rhythm. Stephen Varcoe is an eloquent, supple soloist in the baritone ''Quia fecit mihi magna'' and he is both lightly and tastefully accompanied by Jane Coe (cello) and Ian Watson (organ). The tenor soloist is John Mark Ainsley and he acquits himself well in the ''Deposuit potentes'' and ''Et misericordia'' where he is partnered by Michael Chance. This latter section comes over especially well with beautifully shaped string playing and a well-judged tempo.
To sum up, an auspicious beginning to what could be a fruitful collaboration between choir, orchestra and their directors. The disc is well recorded and attractively presented with informative notes by Simon Heighes. The version of the Gloria is perhaps to be preferred to any other currently available and the Magnificat too is comparably impressive; but other strong performances of this work deserve mention, above all those of Andrew Parrott (EMI), John Eliot Gardiner (Philips), if you can survive the pace—I cannot—and Philippe Herreweghe (Harmonia Mundi).'