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Review by mwagner1962 February 5, 2006 (11 of 11 found this review helpful)
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Performance: Sonics (S): |
All I can saw is WOW, another sonic masterpiece from Telarc!!!! First, to the powers that be at Concord: yes, you now own Telarc, but please listen to this SACD and then make a permanent decision to NOT screw up a great company!!! Please, leave Telarc to continue to do what they do so well...make GREAT recordings for SACD!!!
Now, on to the SACD. Following on the heels of the marvelous Bach Orchestral Suites and the Handel Water Music and Fireworks, Martin Pearlman and his Boston Baroque forces team up and produce another stunning recording.
As a veteran of playing trumpet in the Bach Magnificat and Vivaldi Gloria (as well as singing in another different performance of Vivaldi's Gloria) I can easily say that these are wonderful interpretations with excellent singing, period instruments that do NOT sound like period instruments (a mark of truly great musicians) and a choir with just the right number of singers. I will clarify this statement by saying (and I will admit that I am not a serious Bach or Vivaldi scholar) that I find some of the recording of Bach's choral pieces to be "thinned" out by the sometimes tiny choirs. No, I do not want a Mormon Tabernacle Choir sized choir singing Bach (though it might very well be glorious) but nor do I want to hear just one or two vocalists on a part (as in some of the Harmonia Mundi/Netherlands Bach recordings). On this recording the 22 singers (I counted them in the picture from one of the recording sessions!!!) gives a nice and full sound while not dominating like a huge choir might. To me, just the right balance!!!
The sound is Telarc's usual high quality: warm, full, magnificent, with plenty of air and a nice balance between the orchestra and choir....imaging is excellent with a nice and full sound between the speakers (I listen basically in 2-channel) and there is nice space around the vocal soloists.
Sadly, I have no other recordings (on SACD or redbook) of either piece. All I can compare these two performances to are killer memories of excellent personal performances while in grad school. If you liked (or loved) the two previous Telarc SACDs (the Bach and Handel) you should truly enjoy this one as well!!!
Highly recommended!!!
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