Thomas Tallis, Tomas Luis de Victoria, Morten Lauridsen, Francis Poulenc, Sergey Rachmaninov, Franz Schubert, Anonymous, Spiritual Traditional, Henryk Gorecki, Christopher Cock, Robert Shaw Festival Singers, Robert Shaw Chamber Singers - O Magnum Mysterium

The trademark qualities of a Robert Shaw-trained chorus included perfect tonal blend and balance, expressive phrasing, and superb tuning. As an interpreter, Shaw hewed to the middle road, steering clear of eccentricities and honoring the composer's intentions. On this tribute disc, we hear these virtues coalesce in works such as Poulenc's austere Christmas hymn "O magnum mysterium," one of three settings of the text here. Shaw was at his best in works whose fervent spirituality he shared, and the selection from Rachmaninov's Vespers, with its repeated alleluias, is a highlight, both radiant and passionate. But then, virtually everything here is a highlight: the Schubert part song done to a turn with soft singing projected in rounded tones; the curve of "Wondrous Love"'s melody perfectly traced; and "Amazing Grace" in Shaw's arrangement all the more moving for its calm dignity. The longest piece, Górecki's Marian hymn "Totus tuus," is otherworldly in an enthralled reading that never loses focus. Like all of Shaw's Telarc recordings, the sonics are first-class. --Dan Davis Amazon.com

very beautiful and relaxing

Very soothing and relaxing. I bought this tape specifically for the recording of O Magnum Mysterium after hearing the song at a concert, but the other music is fantastic too. Instant relaxation. June 27, 2008

fabulous music

Shaw is the master! I purchased this and his Vespers album after buying Vespers performed by two other noted chorales, Shaw's rendition on all of the classic chorale pieces is full of the passion and interpretation I have been searching for! May 24, 2008

A great mix of material

I wasn't sure about buying this CD at first; it seemed like a very ecclectic mix of material. However, upon a first playing, it is a very soothing disc full of great material. The unreleased tracks are a rare treat, showcasing some early music which Shaw rarely recorded. While these versions may not be 100% accurate to early performance practice, they are still very attractive in their own mysterious way, and Shaw does a good job bringing out the various colors and textures associated with early music. Another unreleased track is the Rachmaninoff "Khvalite imya Gospodne". The fact that this is an alternate take is not made clear by the Cd cover, so you have to read the liner notes. When Shaw was recording this movement, a church bell started to ring in the exact same key right at the end of the piece perfectly in time, almost as if it was planned that way. You can barely hear it, but it is quite magical. The other tracks on this disc are previously released from other Cd's, and they are all quite good, perhaps with the exception of the Schubert piece. The Gorecki "Totus Tuus" is quite beautiful and is performed very well, but it doesn't do much for me personally. The same musical ideas get repeated over and over in the piece, and it doesn't seem to go anywhere. This is just a personal opinion, and if you like it a lot than enjoy it. I would reccomend this disc to all Robert Shaw fans, as this is a great tribute disc to one of the greatest choral masters of all time. November 22, 2007

This is an amazing, amazing product

The only part of the CD I would quibble with is the selection from Rachmaninov's Vespers, but I'm really lucky and have heard that performed live several times and heard multiple recordings, and decided on one that I liked best early on.

If you aren't blown away by the performance of the Tallis, you'll probably still cry when you hear the Lauridsen later in the CD. One thing about this CD is that after hearing it, my standard for what I could expect in a recording became a lot higher. February 6, 2007

a voice teacher and early music fan

DIVERSIFIED SELECTION PERFORMED WITH PERFECTION!
When Robert Shaw retired in 1988 as Conductor of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra he returned to the conducting of unaccompanied choral music, that he had been involved with in the Robert Shaw Chorale in the 1950's and early 60's.

The selections on this disc are taken from several different Telarc recordings that were made at summer festivals he directed during the last decade of his life.

The Poulenc "O Magnum Mysterium" is one of the four motets on a Christmas album made in 1989. "Wondrous Love", "Amazing Grace", and "Sometimes I Feel Like a Moanin' Dove" are from the collection of 'American Hymns and Spirituals', performed and recorded in 1992. Gorecki's motet "Totus Tuus" appeared on 'Evocation of the Spirit' recorded in 1994.

The Summer of 1989, the first year of Shaw's choral festivals in France, yielded an impressive array of unaccompanied music which included Rachmaninoff's 'Vespers' or 'All Night Vigil', Op.37, the two Thomas Tallis pieces and the two in Latin by Vittoria.

"Der Entfernten" comes from a collection of 'Schubert Songs' for Male Chorus taped in the Summer of 1992. Morton Luridsen's 'O magnum mysterium', the most recent composition on this disc as well as the last recorded (1997), was included on 'A Robert Shaw Christmas'.

It is interesting to note that there are no less than three settings of the anonymous medieval text "O Magnum Mysterium". Shaw, a deeply spiritual man, often lamented about the commercialism that had pervaded the celebraton of the American Christmas. He retained a sincere awe for the miraculous details of the Nativity story, and it was natural that he should return again to music having this text, with its wondrous mixture of the homespun and the mystical, the lowly and the most high.

This is a truly interesting variety of compositions featuring a diversified group of fine composers. Any choral group that Shaw conducted always sang with much emotion and always great skill. There is never a 'ragged' entrance OR exit; there is never poor balance between the voices; the diction is crisp and clear and never 'muddied'; and the sound is ethereally beautiful. I would have liked to know who the personnel were in each of his 2 groups on this disc, but they were not listed, so I guess I never will know. Just a fabulous recording!!!!! January 17, 2007

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