As usual—and it’s becoming a habit—Stile Antico’s performances are big, gorgeous, and highly moving renditions, while Harmonia Mundi’s surround sound is superb in every way.
Steven Ritter, Audiophile Audition (30 July, 2014)
The joy of listening to Stile Antico comes not just from the beauty of the individual and collective voices but also from the dense balance of the parts… these voices sound like they are coming from human beings, albeit ones with expert vocal ability, and not gossamer angels.
Jon Sobel, Seattle Post-Intelligencer (3 August, 2014)
This is wonderful Renaissance music, most of it by Flemish and Spanish composers…. It’s a beautiful disc. Stile Antico is at the top of the Renaissance a cappella scene. Their voices are seamless
Mary Kunz Goldman, The Buffalo News (16 July, 2014)
Lucid and fresh-sounding, the young, prolific vocal ensemble Stile Antico sings an intriguing program of 15th- and 16th-century works written for the Habsburg courts of Europe. The group is particularly superb, with tremendous dynamic range, in motets of mourning like Pierre de la Rue’s “Absalon fili mi” and Alonso Lobo’s “Versa est in luctum”.
Zachary Woolfe, New York Times (23 July, 2014)
Twelve voices singing unaccompanied, without a conductor, Stile Antico achieve miracles of precision in ensemble and tuning… But a group of settings of the erotic Song of Solomon showed that they could be sensuous too… they were no less accomplished in Watkins’ elegiacally beautiful setting of Shakespeare’s enigmatic allegory.
Barry Millington, London Evening Standard (12 May, 2014)
Last night Stile Antico was thrilled to give world premiere of Huw Watkins‘ new work The Phoenix and the Turtle, commissioned by Nicholas and Judith Goodison especially for the group to perform at the Wigmore Hall. Huw’s piece, a setting of an enigmatic poem by Shakespeare (with intriguing links to William Byrd), was extremely well received, both in the Hall…
Stile Antico’s eighth CD, The Phoenix Rising, has just received the coveted 10/10 award from the Classics Today website – the sixth time the group’s recording have received this award. Reviewing the disc, David Vernier wrote: Needless to say, if you want to hear this music sung by the new generation of specialist advocates, this…
If you want to hear this music sung by the new generation of specialist advocates, this is the group that will not fail to give you the most polished ensemble sound and technique yet always projecting an expressive aspect that recognizes the human/emotional pertinence of the texts.
David Vernier, Classics Today (May 2014)
Our final concert, in St Louis, MO, took place in perhaps our most stunning venue yet – the vast Basilica Cathedral. Having performed the programme five times already, we limited our rehearsal to an hour or so, giving us time for a relaxing lunch in sunny Missouri. Some of us were more relaxed than others…
Unlikely place for early music? Here’s Ben with a round-up on a great day in Florida… and some bad puns. “Since the first snowy stop in Boston the excitement had been growing about the potential for a bit of seaside fun in Florida, and when we finally arrived yesterday it didn’t disappoint. After landing in…
Correspondent Kate blogs from Jackson, MS “Our editor, in his wisdom, has attempted to ban any more references to food, since this blog seems to be turning into a culinary critique, but I’m afraid I will have to disobey straightaway and tell you all about our fantastic meal in Jackson, MS. The Mississippi Academy of…
“What are the EXACT measurements of Eleanor’s largest suitcase?” A question that has challenged luggage experts for decades. Here, to end years of speculation and suspense, is Eleanor’s answer: “Committed as I am to travelling light, the largest suitcase I own measures a mere 55x35x25cm. There are several reasons for choosing a small case, the…