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Track(s) taken from CDA67479

Laudate Dominum omnes gentes

composer
8vv
author of text
Psalm 116 (117)

Westminster Cathedral Choir, Martin Baker (conductor), Robert Quinney (organ)
Recording details: February 2004
Westminster Cathedral, London, United Kingdom
Produced by Mark Brown
Engineered by Julian Millard
Release date: October 2004
Total duration: 3 minutes 19 seconds
 

Reviews

‘The choir of Westminster Cathedral has long been noted for its distinctive Continental-style tone, which gives its performances of Latin sacred polyphony an attractively distinctive quality. This magnificent recording, which shows off Victoria's mastery of the art of writing music for up to three choirs in the grandest possible manner, suggests that 2004 is a vintage year for them … recordings of Renaissance polyphony rarely come much better than this’ (The Daily Telegraph)

‘The choir is radiant in its home acoustic, and Martin Baker's well-researched decision to employ an understated organ 'continuo' adds small but telling touches of colour to the texture’ (International Record Review)

‘It is ideally suited to the full-throated, vibrant singing of the Westminster Cathedral Choir, while Martin Baker's finely controlled direction displays a keen architectural sense … a wonderful disc’ (Goldberg)

‘If you painted me into a corner and forced me to choose between Victoria and Palestrina, I’d have to choose the former, much as I love the latter. If I could have just one Victoria recording on my Desert Island, this, from Westminster Cathedral Choir directed by Martin Baker with Robert Quinney (organ) would be very high on the list … this is music that will transport you to a higher plane’ (MusicWeb International)» More
Laudate Dominum omnes gentes is a setting of Psalm 117 (116). With only two verses this is the shortest Psalm, but Victoria nonetheless produces a substantial setting of it (for two SATB choirs). Opening with a set of imitative entries in both choirs, the music soon proceeds to a series of increasingly closely argued antiphonal exchanges which culminate in a section of rich eight-part polyphony. The setting ends with a doxology beginning with his customary triple-time ‘Gloria Patri’ and rounded off with a beautiful sonorous final section in duple time.

from notes by Jon Dixon © 2004

Laudate Dominum omnes gentes est un arrangement du Psaume 117 (116). Il ne compte que deux versets et figure parmi les psaumes les plus courts, mais cela n’empêche pas Victoria de produire un arrangement important (pour deux chœurs SATB). Après une ouverture sur un motif imitatif aux deux chœurs, la musique évolue en une série d’échanges antiphonaires serrés culminant dans un passage polyphonique très riche à huit voix. L’ensemble se termine par une doxologie qui commence par un «Gloria Patri» classique à trois temps et s’achève sur un magnifique passage final sonore, à deux temps.

extrait des notes rédigées par Jon Dixon © 2004
Français: Marie Luccheta

Laudate Dominum omnes gentes ist eine Vertonung des 117. (116.) Psalms. Mit nur zwei Versen ist dieser Text der kürzeste unter den Psalmen, aber Victoria komponierte damit trotzdem ein erheblich langes Stück (für zwei Chöre aus SATB). Die Musik beginnt mit den zwei Chören in polyphoner Imitation, fährt dann aber mit zunehmend dichter verschränkten Wechselgesängen fort, die in einen Abschnitt von satter achtstimmiger Polyphonie kulminieren. Die abschließende Doxologie wird mit den bei Victoria häufig im Dreiermetrum komponierten Worten „Gloria Patri“ eröffnet und endet wunderbar klangvoll im Zweiermetrum.

aus dem Begleittext von Jon Dixon © 2004
Deutsch: Elke Hockings

Other albums featuring this work

Victoria: Ave regina caelorum & other sacred music
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