One nameless wag pointed out that Rossini's Petite messe solennelle, composed in the 1860s in Rossini's old age, was neither little nor solemn; it may be rather sunny (although no more so than most of Mozart's masses), but in fact in its original form -- for chorus, two pianos, and harmonium -- it has a delightfully intimate spirit. Rossini himself made an orchestral arrangement later. Although the booklet refers to a contention that the orchestral version, performed here, represents Rossini's true intentions, it's a bit ...
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One nameless wag pointed out that Rossini's Petite messe solennelle, composed in the 1860s in Rossini's old age, was neither little nor solemn; it may be rather sunny (although no more so than most of Mozart's masses), but in fact in its original form -- for chorus, two pianos, and harmonium -- it has a delightfully intimate spirit. Rossini himself made an orchestral arrangement later. Although the booklet refers to a contention that the orchestral version, performed here, represents Rossini's true intentions, it's a bit hard to figure out the argument, and the mixture of tuneful, almost comic-opera-style arias with strict choruses in the style of Bach and even Palestrina seems more coherent in the smaller version. At any rate, this live performance is a real mixture of forces. Some may or may not feel that they hang together, but the performance is not dull. First there's the ultra-smooth French choir Accentus, transferring its characteristic sound from its usual French repertory of the 19th century's...
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