Studio de Musique ancienne de Montréal, Christopher Jackson - Musica Vaticana (2011)

With this 2011 release, Musica Vaticana, Studio de musique ancienne de Montréal, led by its founder Christopher Jackson, solidifies its reputation as one of the very finest choirs specializing in music of the Baroque and Renaissance. Its tone is warmly blended and pure, and it is able to produce a wide range of tonal colors suited to whatever is being performed. Most importantly, the chorus enters fully into the spirit of the music, so its performances are lively and spontaneous-sounding. It brings just the right grave nobility and earnestness to Lassus' motet Domine, quid multiplicati sunt, and an appropriately intense expressivity to some of the quirkier Baroque works. In Giovanni de Macque's motet, Ave regina coeli, for instance, the heavy sadness of the repeated "Vale," (Farewell), is delivered, to terrific effect, with an almost madrigalian anguish. Most of this repertoire, primarily for multiple choirs and basso continuo, is recorded here for the first time and there are some real treasures in addition to the works mentioned above. Giuseppe Ottavio Pitoni, maestro di cappella at St. Peter's for nearly a quarter of a century, was one of the most famous Roman musicians of the early 18th century, and left well over 4,000 compositions but is hardly known today. His Dixit Dominus is a wonderfully eccentric work with choral writing that's all over the map stylistically, including some foreshadowing of Philip Glass. Orazio Benevoli's motets for groups of solo sopranos and continuo are especially lovely and lyrical. In such distinctive and unconventional company, the largest work, Vincenzo Ugolini's Missa Beata es Virgo Maria, comes off as routine and formulaic. The elegant, understated continuo part is provided by organ, strings, and harp. ATMA's sound is vivid, with good balance and ambience.