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Magnificat: A Capella Works by Josquin, Palestrina, Titov, Victoria, and Others

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In the wake of its previous, Grammy-winning disc of contemporary madrigals (Colors of Love), the all-male a cappella ensemble that calls itself Chanticleer--in homage to Chaucer's Canterbury Tales --comes home to roost in this theme album of early music. After all, this is the territory that Chanticleer first staked out when the group banded together in 1978, and the return is most welcome. Magnificat offers manifold rewards, from the sensitive, imaginative culling of its program to the warmth and lithe interweaving of vocal layers in its execution (vividly recorded in splendid 20/24-bit process at the Skywalker Ranch)--not to mention the capsule music history that it traces. Like depictions of the Annunciation in medieval and Renaissance paintings, musical settings of texts that are centered on Mary abound during this period. Chanticleer's anthology includes familiar gems (the hymn "Ave Maris Stella"), but the group is delightfully unpredictable in many of its choices: examples of the polychoral sacred music of Russian Vasily Titov, contrafactum reworkings of two Monteverdi madrigals to Marian texts, and a full Magnificat setting by Tudor master John Taverner. The latter gives a microcosm of Chanticleer's vocal versatility, presenting stern, unadorned plainsong side-by-side with melodies that blossom like tendrils. Or listen to the ensemble's dynamic control, from the exultant climaxes of the Titov choral concerto to the achingly beautiful, held diminuendo on the second Monteverdi piece. Most impressive of all is that Chanticleer manages to avoid the bane of a cappella groups--a bland, homogenized sameness of sound--through its subtle variations in color and thoughtful musicality. A real treasure. --Thomas May

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9 Reviews

Love it (89%) | Hate it (0%) | On the Fence (11%) | Didn't Rate it (0%)

From: Amazon Posted: Jun 27, 2007 Type: User Review

Beautiful with excellent sound engineering and singing

I got what I wanted ---some absolutely beautiful compositions with exquiste voices.
Should be a grammy nominee
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5.00/5

From: Amazon Posted: Jun 17, 2005 Type: User Review

Beautiful performances and some nice surprises

This is a nice anthology of Renaissance music encompassing key composers of both the Prima and Seconda Prattica, including one or two less known names. The uniting theme is that of they are all in praise of the Virgin Mary. Most of these works are...
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5.00/5

From: Amazon Posted: Jan 04, 2003 Type: User Review

Heavenly

This is one of my first two DVD-audio discs. Some tracks are recorded from the audience perspective, with the choir across the front and cathedral ambience all around, and those are beautiful, but I gotta say I love the, "choir-around the room"...
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5.00/5

From: Amazon Posted: Mar 08, 2002 Type: User Review

Marvelous sound

This recording wraps you up in a gorgeous sonority, and I'm only listening in stereo. I can't wait to hear it when I fill out my speaker ensemble.
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4.00/5

From: Amazon Posted: Feb 03, 2002 Type: User Review

Gorgeous choral voices surrounding you

I hesitated to buy this disc until a friend told me he knew one of the members of Chanticleer; then again I also had nothing like it in my collection. The sound is rich and resonant. You should know it is recorded realistically, in a variety of...
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5.00/5

From: Amazon Posted: Dec 26, 2001 Type: User Review

Disappointing performance practice

Although this album does not differ from any other Chanticleer album in its gorgeous sound, the performances of Palestrina and Josquin are...well, boring. Contrary to popular belief, this music was not to be done at a snail's pace. The Josquin Ave...
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3.00/5

From: Amazon Posted: Sep 08, 2000 Type: User Review

One of the Best

Magnificat/Chanticleer, I Am The True Vine: Arvo Part, and John McArthur's, HIDDEN are the three best albums I have purchased in the last year. This one is stillness in audible tones. Listen, love it, enjoy it.
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5.00/5

From: Amazon Posted: Aug 28, 2000 Type: User Review

As usual an excellent performance by Chanticleer

Chanticleer is a male choir that you can safely assume that any recording will be good to excellent; one may also assume that there will be one or two astounding cuts - in this case they are to two pieces by Titov, a Russian composer of the...
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4.00/5

From: Amazon Posted: Jul 27, 2000 Type: User Review

Magnificat

This is a glorious compendium of music celebrating Mother Mary, with stellar voices. The clarity and richness of sound is wondrous! The blending of the voices is superb and the ethereal essence delightful.
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5.00/5

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