Schoendorff: The Complete Works

Gramophone award nominees Cinquecento add another glorious recording to their Hyperion discography. This vocal sextet, comprising six professional singers from five European countries, are rapidly becoming one of the most admired early music ensembles of the time. The lithe, clear yet rich and warm tones of the six singers are the perfect instruments for the complex polyphony of the sixteenth century. Their profound collective and individual musicianship, mellifluous phrasing, perfect intonation and commitment to their chosen repertoire are clearly apparent in this gem of a disc.

In this recording the group uncover the complete surviving works of Philipp Schoendorff. Schoendorff, originally a pupil of the illustrious Philippe de Monte, was a successful choirmaster at the Prague court of the Emperor Rudolf II. Also included are a Magnificat by his teacher de Monte and the two motets on which his pupil based his Masses.

No fan of Renaissance polyphony should overlook this outstanding recording.

CDA67854  59 minutes 55 seconds
‘Cinquecento's famed flexibility, harmonic blend and impeccable balance are caught perfectly in the stillness of the monastery at Pernegg in Austria. This is a disc to savour’ (Gramophone)
‘The music, a wonderful discovery, is polyphony of the highest quality, and Cinquecento marries smooth ensemble to marvellous interpretational vision. The recorded sound is excellent, doing full justi ...
‘The voices of Cinquecento produce balanced, tuneful, clear and stylish performances … the quiet tensions of the 'Et incarnatus est' section are beautifully rendered, and the Benedictus is displa ...