Search - Giovanni Gabrieli, Vittorio Negri, Dale Jergenson :: The Glory of Gabrieli

Interesting comments--but dead wrong

John | Iowa, USA | 12/17/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"One reviewer of this recording excoriates its sound and its interpretations, and suggests two more recent recordings of works by Gabriel.



What the reviewer FAILS to note is the place where this recording was made.



When this recording first appeared in three volumes on Columbia vinyl, it was the first recording of Gabrieli ever made in San Marco in Venice, the very room for which these pieces were written, and where, in fact, Gabrieli was Maestro da Capella for some years. In other words, this is sound Gabrieli himself would recognize. That cannot be said for studio recordings, or recordings made in other venues.



Moreover, the tempos--which the reviewer complains about--are dictated by the acoustics--the natural reverberation--in that extraordinary room. To be sure, the tempos ARE slower than they would be in a less-live venue. But were they any faster, all definition would be lost.



I have performed most of these works, either as a singer, as a brass player, or as a conductor. I have owned the vinyl recordings since they were first issued, and own the CD as well. I also own the recordings the previous reviewer suggests as superior.



Both of the more recent performances suggested by the previous reviewer are excellent, and should be a part of every respectable collection of recorded Gabriel



The admonition by the previous reviewer that Gabrieli should NEVER be performed this way would seem to suggest that Gabrieli should never be performed in an environment with acoustics like St. Mark's. That assertion seems fatuous to me. These works were, after all, written FOR St, Mark's, and the acoustics today are much the same as they were when the cathedral was build in the 12th century, or when Gabrieli wrote and performed there.



Thus there is an immense amount to be learned from the Biggs/Negri et al. performances as well, not the least of which is familiarity with the space for which the composer wrote.



While it is certainly true that some aspects of performance practice in this recording are considered outmoded (but in my decades of experience with this repertoire, ideas about performance are fickle), there are also things about these performances that have, to my ears, never been equaled.



If you want super-fast, virtuostic performances of Gabrieli, then look elsewhere. If you want to hear what Gabrieli sounds like when performed in St, Mark's, then this recording should be in your collection.



The beauty of the Mass movements is enough to justify the price.



And remember: this recording is nearly a half-century old!



These remain among my favorite recorded performances of this repertoire.



By ALL means, five stars!!"

Oldy but Very Goody

Scott Schwartz | 06/11/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This recording first came to my attention in 1965 at a music appreciation exam, and I instantly went out and bought it. Much is written in these reviews about the sonic quality, and I agree, but I want to add the question of tempo and style. "In Ecclesiis" is arguably Gabrieli's most celebrated choral work. It's been done on almost every Gabrieli album, possibly due to the very easily obtainable score. Though it has generally been played on authentic instruments (cornettos & sackbuts) and small forces at a clipping pace, I think it loses its real grandeur. Here, there are large choirs, what sounds like modern brass, and E.Power Biggs cutting loose with every stop the organ can pull out, played at a tempo that is slow enough to savor the 15-voice chords. It is hard to imagine a major church feast in 1605 that DIDN'T sound like this, and if you look at the opulence of Venetian painting, architecture, manuscripts, and ducal processions, a very grand music would seem entirely congruent. The rest of the music is of an equal impact, if sung with slightly fewer voices. I like appropriate historical presentations, but this disc, more than most, seems to capture the ethos of the glory of Venice."

CD of a classic LP

S. Rather | Wisconsin USA | 01/04/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I purchased the LP recording back in the early 1970's and had been casually looking for a CD of this for a long time. The acoustics of San Marco are wonderful. Sony released an earlier set of Gabrieli choral works under the "Essential Classics" title with material that isn't nearly as good as what is on this CD.



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