Easter Mass
Classical Music on the Web reviews Chiara Margarita Cozzolani: Messa Paschale Magnificat Musica Omnia mo0209 Chiara Margarita Cozzolani was a Benedictine nun who lived her entire adult life in the Santa Radagonda convent, in Milan. While her music was destined to remain within these walls for centuries, huge crowds came to the conventís church to hear the angelic voices of the nuns who sang Cozzolaniís passionate and ecstatic music. This recording, the second in a projected series of the composerís works, is like the first, Cozzolaniís Vespers, a world premiere. The liner notes for this disc explain that this is a reconstruction of a 17th century musical liturgy, which includes bits of Gregorian chant with works by Cozzolani. In order to createthis mass, the musicians have taken works from two Cozzolani manuscripts, one published in 1642, the other in 1650. The result is intimate and extravagant. As in the first Cozzolani recording, we discover texture and tone colors that are both familiar and surprising. The familiar colors of the Monteverdi-style madrigal, and, in fact the entire Italian 17th century song style, are here side by side with a choral texture of surprising delicacy and beauty. Some of the most attractive moments are the sections where several voices sing in harmony, such as the in loco Offertorium: Bene Iesu, fons amoris, where the fine singers of this ensemble, together over a minimal organ accompaniment, show the range and quality of their voices, as well as the beautiful texture they create. But the soloists are excellent on their own - though they are not credited individually for each track. The fine alto voice that is heard in the in loco Graduale and Alleluia: Ave mater dilectissima. This is rich and earthy; the soprano heard at times in the ad Elevationem: O quam bonum, O quam iocundum, is expressive and enticing. All in all, the eight female voices are delightful individually and, when singing together, admir --Classical Music on the WebEarly Music America Winter 2002-3 Chiara Margarita Cozzolani Messa Paschale Magnificat, Warren Stewart, director Musica Omnia MO 0209 69:38 min A few words of introduction for those not familiar with the life and works of the Benedictine nun Chiara Margarita Cozzolani (d. c.1653): Cozzolani was the most talented musician of the nuns at the convent Santa Radegonda in Milan. She received musical training at a young age and took her holy vows as a teenager. As an adult she never ventured beyond the walls of S. Radegonda and wasn t exposed to contemporary music remarkable when you consider the sophistication of her music. This disc, the second in a complete Cozzolani series, is a liturgical recreation of a service for Easter Sunday. Cozzolani' s setting of the Mass Ordinary is suitably conservative, a four-voice work that alternates imitative writing with homophonic stretches. But it pales in comparison to her more ecstatic motets. Magnificat's director, Warren Stewart, has replaced many of the chanted portions of the liturgy with these motets, and they are stunners. The two-voice motet Ave mater dilectissima, a dialogue between Mary and Christ, radiates tender lyricism and benefits from a skilful text setting that s typical of Cozzolani. The liturgy closes with Maria Magdelene stabat, a setting of Mary Magdalen s encounter with the angels at the tomb on Easter morning. Splashes of striking dissonance shade a musical canvas depicting grief and longing. Magnificat continues to impress. While I find the singing in some of the tutti choral passages a bit harsh on top, the individual voices blend magnificently in the motets. Tasteful instrumental accompaniment and natural sound (!!) make me yearn for more. - Craig Zeichner --Early Music America