San Francisco Choir Schola Adventus release their First CD
Many of you will recall The Experience Corps holiday concert at St.John's Smith Square last December given by the San Francisco chamber choir Schola Adventus, featuring a program of acappella choral music spanning the centuries from Gregorian chant to Arvo Pärt. Well now they have just released their first CD: Palestrina for Eight Voices.
Directed by English organist Paul Ellison, the CD features the first ever recording of a Palestrina mass: his great Missa Confitebor tibi, Domine, plus a selection of eight-part motets. If you enjoyed the power and beauty of this top-notch ensemble last year, you will surely want to recreate it in your homes with a copy of the CD or by downloading it into your ipods.
The CD is now available at Amazon UK. It is also available from itunes for digital download.
The Missa Confitebor tibi, Domine is a parody of his own motet of the same name (also heard on this recording). Published in 1585, this remarkable work captures brilliantly all the contrasting "affects" of the mass text, from the reverential intimacy of the Et incarnatus est and Benedictus qui venit to the climactic breathlessness of Cum sancto Spiritu and Et vitam venturi and the dance-like ebullience of Hosanna in excelsis! In it, he reveals his consummate mastery as a composer, showing himself to be equally adept at both multi-part polyphony and polychoral antiphonal writing. Also featured are his setting of the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis, plus three eight-part motets.
For further information about Schola Adventus, please visit their webpage where you can see a picture taken after last December's concert.
