10/10
ClassicsToday.com; 5 Diapasons,
Diapason
“Le quatuour fait preuve d'une maîtrise souveraine et expressive de l'art vocal a cappella ... Impressionnante.”
Diapason; “You’ll find nothing but reasons to keep listening.”
Classics Today; “A must for fans of Renaissance or contemporary polyphony.”
Early Music America; “Durchaus von gestischen Ansätzen beflügelt, singen die vier Herren absolut homogen, klangvoll, belebt und drucklos.”
Klassik.com;“A beautifully conceived, performed and produced release.”
MusicWeb International
New York Polyphony has assembled a programme of sacred vocal music composed largely by Franco-Flemish composers active in the first half of the 16th century, exploring from a number of perspectives the themes of grief, loss and mortality. &&&
This music was produced during a volatile period in European history, a time punctuated by religious persecution, destructive war-fare, and repeated outbreaks of plague and famine. Death was an ever-present and inescapable companion even for the most privileged members of society.
Music played a vital role in helping people cope with the feelings of sadness, loss and anger over death, whether through the raw expression of personal grief in a devotional lament, or the more reserved expression of collective grief found in music intended to accompany a formal liturgical ceremony.
