Classics Today 10/10, October 2015
A Wondrous Mystery
Stile Antico’s latest recording brings together a sophisticated, sumptuous Christmas mass by the Flemish composer Clemens non Papa with traditional old-German carols and motets, some of them still sung to this day. Amongst the highlights are Eccard’s infectiously joyful Übers Gebirg Maria geht and Praetorius’ double-choir Magnificat, which includes the carols In dulci jubilo and Josef lieber, Josef mein. An irresistibly festive collection!
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Recorded: February, 2015
Label: Harmonia Mundi
Format: Hybrid SACD
Catalogue Number: HMU 807575
A consistently entertaining and often enlightening program… Hieronymus Praetorius’ Magnificat is one of the two special highlights, with its well-integrated tribute to the famous tune “In dulci jubilo” and some absolutely sublime singing.
Classics Today
Beautiful voices, clear and honest engineering, and pretty package… no mystery about its appeal.
David Patrick Stearns, Philadelphia Inquirer (22 November, 2016)
A fine SACD from Stile Antico… glorious performances of works from church services from the Renaissance period.
Mel Martin, Audiophile Audition (21 November, 2015)
The a cappella performances are consistently beautiful and soothing throughout, and the quietly joyous mood of the music fits the album’s title perfectly.
Blair Sanderson, All Music Guide
Impeccable… The sinuous yearning of Clemens’s Agnus Dei is a triumph of fluid phrasing and dynamic shaping, and a reminder of the formidable credentials of this group.
Terry Blain, BBC Music Magazine (December 2015)
A consistently entertaining and often enlightening program… Hieronymus Praetorius’ Magnificat is one of the two special highlights, with its well-integrated tribute to the famous tune “In dulci jubilo” and some absolutely sublime singing… You won’t hear finer singing anywhere.
David Vernier, Classics Today (October 2015)
All selections are performed with that knowledgeable approach to Renaissance practices that has established and affirmed Stile Antico’s place in the early music community. However, their approach to expressiveness is anything but academically sterile.
Stephen Smoliar, Examiner.com (20 October, 2015)
This new CD fully lives up to the supreme blend of voices… a programme that reveals Stile Antico as one of the most fluent, perceptive interpreters of Renaisance polyphony.
Geoffrey Norris, The Telegraph (23 December, 2015)
Stile Antico has produced another pure-voiced, imaginatively programmed disc with this selection of mostly German Renaissance carols and motets.
Fiona Maddocks, The Observer (13 December, 2015)
This is sure to be a justly popular Christmas choice. it is a smooth and assured album and both the ensemble sound and the individual voices are extremely attractive.
Edward Breen, Gramophone (December 2015)
- Praetorius, M: Ein Kind geborn in Bethlehem
- Clemens non Papa: Pastores quidnam vidistis
- Praetorius M / Vulpius: Es ist ein Ros entsprungen
- Clemens non Papa: Kyrie (Missa Pastores quidnam vidistis)
- Handl: Canite Tuba
- Clemens non Papa: Gloria (Missa Pastores quidnam vidistis)
- Praetorius, H: Magnificat quinti toni
- Handl: Mirabile mysterium
- Eccard: Übers Gebirg Maria geht
- Clemens non Papa: Sanctus (Missa Pastores quidnam vidistis)
- Eccard: Vom Himmel hoch
- Hassler: Hodie Christus natus est
- Clemens non Papa: Agnus Dei (Missa Pastores quidnam vidistis)