This 2012 release, A Song of Farewell: Music of Mourning & Consolation, which is made up of British choral works spanning more than 450 years, marks the 30th anniversary Paul McCreesh's founding of the Gabrieli Consort & Players. The Consort sings with an absolutely ravishing sound; almost all of this music is quiet, reflective, and reverently paced and the group brings to it a velvety legato that is practically breathtaking. The singing sounds effortlessly disciplined, yet each line glows with spontaneity. The small ...
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This 2012 release, A Song of Farewell: Music of Mourning & Consolation, which is made up of British choral works spanning more than 450 years, marks the 30th anniversary Paul McCreesh's founding of the Gabrieli Consort & Players. The Consort sings with an absolutely ravishing sound; almost all of this music is quiet, reflective, and reverently paced and the group brings to it a velvety legato that is practically breathtaking. The singing sounds effortlessly disciplined, yet each line glows with spontaneity. The small details, such as the remarkable precision of attacks and releases, don't draw attention to themselves, but the accumulation of so many felicities elevate the performances to a level rarely encountered even in the finest choral ensemble. McCreesh's leadership is certainly responsible for the singers' unanimity of phrasing and the impression they give of breathing as a single organism. He draws out performances that sound passionately and authentically felt. In the program notes, McCreesh...
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