Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
The combination of the dark shadings of Spanish Renaissance composer Tomás Luis de Victoria's Tenebrae Responsories with the most solemn texts of the Christian liturgical year has been irresistible for many years, and recordings of these 18 motets for the Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday are abundant. This one, however, is almost unique, thanks to two features: it is sung in a possible low transposition, and the performance is by a solo quartet, one voice per part. Both these interpretive decisions may be a matter of taste. From this listener's perspective, the first is desirable, the second less so. The low voice ranges intensify the serious mood, but a small choir would have been a likelier set of performers in Victoria's time. Those who don't buy the one-voice-per-part fashion, though, will be pleased that the vocal group I Fagiolini avoids madrigalist gestures; the singing is sober, keeping clear as well of El Greco-esque dark gestures. Another unique feature of this release, at least for physical album buyers (they are not present in online versions of the album), is the presence of poems by Christopher Reid, describing the last days and the death of his wife. The poems are read by I Fagiolini founder and director Robert Hollingsworth. Again, this is a matter of taste; this could have gone completely off the rails, but to these ears, the mixture is persuasive. In short, this release by I Fagiolini, inaugurating a new relationship with the Coro label, definitely succeeds in distinguishing itself from other recordings of these motets. With fine sound from Milton Abbey, this album made classical best-seller charts in early 2024 as it appeared just in time for that year's Easter season.
© James Manheim /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From £10.83/month
Tomás Luis de Victoria, Composer - I Fagiolini, Ensemble, MainArtist - Robert Hollingworth, Conductor - Nancho Alvarez (CPDL), MusicPublisher
(C) 2024 The Sixteen Productions Ltd (P) 2024 The Sixteen Productions Ltd
Tomás Luis de Victoria, Composer - I Fagiolini, Ensemble, MainArtist - Robert Hollingworth, Conductor - Nancho Alvarez (CPDL), MusicPublisher
(C) 2024 The Sixteen Productions Ltd (P) 2024 The Sixteen Productions Ltd
Tomás Luis de Victoria, Composer - I Fagiolini, Ensemble, MainArtist - Robert Hollingworth, Conductor - Nancho Alvarez (CPDL), MusicPublisher
(C) 2024 The Sixteen Productions Ltd (P) 2024 The Sixteen Productions Ltd
Tomás Luis de Victoria, Composer - I Fagiolini, Ensemble, MainArtist - Robert Hollingworth, Conductor - Nancho Alvarez (CPDL), MusicPublisher
(C) 2024 The Sixteen Productions Ltd (P) 2024 The Sixteen Productions Ltd
Tomás Luis de Victoria, Composer - I Fagiolini, Ensemble, MainArtist - Robert Hollingworth, Conductor - Nancho Alvarez (CPDL), MusicPublisher
(C) 2024 The Sixteen Productions Ltd (P) 2024 The Sixteen Productions Ltd
Tomás Luis de Victoria, Composer - I Fagiolini, Ensemble, MainArtist - Robert Hollingworth, Conductor - Nancho Alvarez (CPDL), MusicPublisher
(C) 2024 The Sixteen Productions Ltd (P) 2024 The Sixteen Productions Ltd
Tomás Luis de Victoria, Composer - I Fagiolini, Ensemble, MainArtist - Robert Hollingworth, Conductor - Nancho Alvarez (CPDL), MusicPublisher
(C) 2024 The Sixteen Productions Ltd (P) 2024 The Sixteen Productions Ltd
Tomás Luis de Victoria, Composer - I Fagiolini, Ensemble, MainArtist - Robert Hollingworth, Conductor - Nancho Alvarez (CPDL), MusicPublisher
(C) 2024 The Sixteen Productions Ltd (P) 2024 The Sixteen Productions Ltd
Tomás Luis de Victoria, Composer - I Fagiolini, Ensemble, MainArtist - Robert Hollingworth, Conductor - Nancho Alvarez (CPDL), MusicPublisher
(C) 2024 The Sixteen Productions Ltd (P) 2024 The Sixteen Productions Ltd
Tomás Luis de Victoria, Composer - I Fagiolini, Ensemble, MainArtist - Robert Hollingworth, Conductor - Nancho Alvarez (CPDL), MusicPublisher
(C) 2024 The Sixteen Productions Ltd (P) 2024 The Sixteen Productions Ltd
Tomás Luis de Victoria, Composer - I Fagiolini, Ensemble, MainArtist - Robert Hollingworth, Conductor - Nancho Alvarez (CPDL), MusicPublisher
(C) 2024 The Sixteen Productions Ltd (P) 2024 The Sixteen Productions Ltd
Tomás Luis de Victoria, Composer - I Fagiolini, Ensemble, MainArtist - Robert Hollingworth, Conductor - Nancho Alvarez (CPDL), MusicPublisher
(C) 2024 The Sixteen Productions Ltd (P) 2024 The Sixteen Productions Ltd
Tomás Luis de Victoria, Composer - I Fagiolini, Ensemble, MainArtist - Robert Hollingworth, Conductor - Nancho Alvarez (CPDL), MusicPublisher
(C) 2024 The Sixteen Productions Ltd (P) 2024 The Sixteen Productions Ltd
Tomás Luis de Victoria, Composer - I Fagiolini, Ensemble, MainArtist - Robert Hollingworth, Conductor - Nancho Alvarez (CPDL), MusicPublisher
(C) 2024 The Sixteen Productions Ltd (P) 2024 The Sixteen Productions Ltd
Tomás Luis de Victoria, Composer - I Fagiolini, Ensemble, MainArtist - Robert Hollingworth, Conductor - Nancho Alvarez (CPDL), MusicPublisher
(C) 2024 The Sixteen Productions Ltd (P) 2024 The Sixteen Productions Ltd
Tomás Luis de Victoria, Composer - I Fagiolini, Ensemble, MainArtist - Robert Hollingworth, Conductor - Nancho Alvarez (CPDL), MusicPublisher
(C) 2024 The Sixteen Productions Ltd (P) 2024 The Sixteen Productions Ltd
Tomás Luis de Victoria, Composer - I Fagiolini, Ensemble, MainArtist - Robert Hollingworth, Conductor - Nancho Alvarez (CPDL), MusicPublisher
(C) 2024 The Sixteen Productions Ltd (P) 2024 The Sixteen Productions Ltd
Tomás Luis de Victoria, Composer - I Fagiolini, Ensemble, MainArtist - Robert Hollingworth, Conductor - Nancho Alvarez (CPDL), MusicPublisher
(C) 2024 The Sixteen Productions Ltd (P) 2024 The Sixteen Productions Ltd
Album review
The combination of the dark shadings of Spanish Renaissance composer Tomás Luis de Victoria's Tenebrae Responsories with the most solemn texts of the Christian liturgical year has been irresistible for many years, and recordings of these 18 motets for the Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday are abundant. This one, however, is almost unique, thanks to two features: it is sung in a possible low transposition, and the performance is by a solo quartet, one voice per part. Both these interpretive decisions may be a matter of taste. From this listener's perspective, the first is desirable, the second less so. The low voice ranges intensify the serious mood, but a small choir would have been a likelier set of performers in Victoria's time. Those who don't buy the one-voice-per-part fashion, though, will be pleased that the vocal group I Fagiolini avoids madrigalist gestures; the singing is sober, keeping clear as well of El Greco-esque dark gestures. Another unique feature of this release, at least for physical album buyers (they are not present in online versions of the album), is the presence of poems by Christopher Reid, describing the last days and the death of his wife. The poems are read by I Fagiolini founder and director Robert Hollingsworth. Again, this is a matter of taste; this could have gone completely off the rails, but to these ears, the mixture is persuasive. In short, this release by I Fagiolini, inaugurating a new relationship with the Coro label, definitely succeeds in distinguishing itself from other recordings of these motets. With fine sound from Milton Abbey, this album made classical best-seller charts in early 2024 as it appeared just in time for that year's Easter season.
© James Manheim /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 18 track(s)
- Total length: 01:00:00
- Main artists: I Fagiolini
- Composer: Tomás Luis de Victoria
- Label: CORO
- Genre: Classical
(C) 2024 The Sixteen Productions Ltd (P) 2024 The Sixteen Productions Ltd
Improve album information
Why buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.
Playlists