Palestrina - Lamentations of Jeremiah I-III (Book IV - for 5 & 6 voices) / Pro Cantione Antiqua / Bruno Turner / RRC 1038 / Audio CD 1988

UPC 5055031310388 / ASIN: B00005B7O3

MADE IN GERMANY

TOTAL TIME: 74:31

English Summary:

The Lamentations are written in nine Lessons, three for each of the days. Each Lesson is subdivided into verses, which are preceded by a letter of the Hebrew alphabet in the old plainsong settings, and have a short "wailing" motif. In Renaissance polyphonic compositions the authors wrote more or less elaborate contrapuntal vocalisations. Palestrina does exactly this, varying his material, his voices and their spacing with infinite variety. Musically, these `letters', Aleph, Beth, Vau, etc, serve as points of repose, interludes separating the verses in which the writing is densely packed with words, by no means always homophonically, often with strongly profiled motifs in imitation voice by voice. Emotionally, the Hebrew letters are enshrined in the most moving and awesome sounds, much more than the conventional plangent. Palestrina seems to have written them as little private sound worlds in which the listener may be swept up in the contemplation of the Passion.

TRACKLIST:

Countertenors:

Timothy Penrose, Ashley Stafford

Tenors:

James Griffett, Neil Jenkins, Ian Partridge

Basses:

Michael George, Christopher Keyte, Stephen Roberts