From: inr@eccles.caltech.edu (I. Neill Reid)
Subject: re: good performances by choral groups
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: California Institute of Technology
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1992 07:27:00 GMT

>From: dmnhieu@riemann.math.purdue.edu (Duy-Minh NHIEU)

>Hello world:

>   If I were to study performances on choral music (ie: What constitute a good
>choir/or choral group?), and I want to go by examples, what would you recommand?(I list here a list of some group that I know of, please add to it and/or correct me if I am wrong)

>     big groups:  The King's college choir
>                  The Cambridge singers (John Rutter)

           little bit blah, I'd say

>                  The Montevedi choir (together with the English Baroque
>                                       soloist, conducted by John Elliot 
>                                       Gardiner)
            they're more of a marvellous intermediate sized ensemble - 

>                  The Robert Shaw choral
>                  The Westminster choir.

>    small groups:

>                  The kings' singers

 OK - my penn'orth

   Renaissance groups :- Hilliard ensemble - one of my top 4, wide-ranging
                 repertoire and well researched - try their Josquin motets
           (EMI) or their recordings of songs from the time of Henry VII &
           Henry VIII (Saga) or their Lionel Power...

              Ensemble Clement Jannequin - untouchable for french chansons 

                         the 16 Harry Christophers (sorry, but thats the
         way I've always read it!) - but they expand to 40 for Spem in alium 
         and although their original repertoire was renaissance (their
         Taverner series is magnificent) they've progressed to at least Handel
         with 4 discs of the Chandos anthems

                         the Tallis scholars - a translucent brilliance.
         Anything they record is recommendable but esp. Tallis English
         anthems, Josquin Missa Pange Lingua & 2 L'homme Arme' masses,
         & Vittoria requiem

                         Pro Cantione Antiqua - directed by Bruno Turner
         (who runs Mapa Mundi and has prepared many of the performing
          versions used by these groups), Gavin Turner & Mark Brown.
          All male ensemble, so a much darker, warmer sound than the mixed
          groups - their Lassus recordings (2 requiems & motets) are 
          thoroughly recommendable

                        Consort of Musicke (inc. at various times Emma Kirkby, 
          Evelyn Tubb, Martyn Hill, David Thomas & always Anthony Rooley on
          lute) - mainly madrigals & secular music, particularly Dowland, 
          Ward, Monteverdi (books 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8), Lotti, de Waert & Arcadelt.
          Their style has evolved considerably over the dozen years or so 
          since they first recorded the Dowland 4 books - more emotionally
          involved in the pieces now. 

                   Taverner Consort & Players + Andrew Parrott - lots of
          overlap between this group & the Tallis scholars & the Consort of
          Musicke - their recording of Monteverdi Vespers of 1610 is my
          favourite - tend to got for reconstructions (like the Midici
          Intermedii & Machaut's Messe de notre dame)

                Les Arts Florissants dir. William Christie - the first
          choice for Charpentier, Rameau, Lully and other French
          contemporaries - and indeed Purcell's Fairy Queen

 Larger ensembles - the Corydon singer dir. Matthew Best - I have their
         recordings of Bruckner motets & of Vaughan Williams (inc. the       
         serenade to music). 

 looks like at least a shilling to here so I'd better stop, even although I'm
 sure others will occur to me as soon as I quit....

 Neill Reid - inr@eccles.caltech.edu