Search - Pierre de la Rue, Kevin Moll, Eleanor Kelley :: Pierre de la Rue: Missa di Sancta Anna & Lamentatione Jeremaie

A commendable effort marred by poor intonation

Adam Cole | Menlo Park, California | 05/22/1999

(2 out of 5 stars)

"The music of La Rue is not as well-known as it should be, but perhaps the next wave of early music recordings will rectify this. The music, especially the Lamentations, is somber and haunting, with some arresting (and forward-looking) chromaticisms. I wanted to like this CD, but unfortunately this ensemble is plagued throughout by noticeably sour intonation, especially the baritone (Billingsley). This has the effect of making one extremely uneasy and edgy while listening: the sublime harmonic progressions that are the core of this music miss their mark and never quite jell. That's really too bad, because Moll's reading is largely competent and emotive. Wait for another recording."

Superb la Rue Mass fails to communicate

William G. Kempster | 01/12/2002

(1 out of 5 stars)

"It is unfortunate that the present recording is the only one available of this beautiful and highly approachable Mass by the still under-rated Pierre de la Rue. The singing is very ordinary, with poor balance, intonation and ensemble. The vexed issue of 'musica ficta' is also poorly handled, making this performance almost unlistenable to someone - like me - with particular ideas on this subject. The Lamentations are no better, I am afraid."