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| GESUALDO REVIEWS |
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The Times The penitential tone of the liturgy must have appealed to Gesualdo,much of whose life was spent atoning for an early sin. In 1589,
after only four years of marriage, he discovered his wife in flagrante and had them both killed.The trauma of this event added to
his already overwrought sensibility, which found an outlet in composing music of amazing originality. These responsories are every
bit as intense as his more well-known erotic madrigals, and they have the same masochistic delight in grinding dissonances. Given their reputation for after-dinner smoothness, the King's Singers hardly seem the ideal group for such fierce, dark music, but
the all-male line-up does it proud. Using counter tenors instead of sopranos or trebles makes those grinding climaxes all the more tense and penetrating, and the attention given to word-painting is exemplary.
Ivan Hewitt Classic FM Magazine, June ‘04 BBC Music Magazine, June ’04 Think of the King’s Singers and you’ll think of Christmas albums, Victoriana and some of the slickest barber’s-shoppery in the business. ‘It’s true that people in the UK know us for our Beatles arrangements, and our dodgy jumpers on TV shows,’ says countertenor Robin Tyson. ‘But the King’s Singers pop reputation tends to mask what we do most of - medieval and Renaissance repertoire, and new commissions. If anything, we’re concentrating more on early music, especially sacred music. This is partly because all six of the present line-up have church music backgrounds. We feel we can now compete in this field with the Hilliard Ensemble and the Taverner Consort - and we’re happy that our new recording company, Signum, agrees.’ A recording of the Tenebrae Responses for Maundy Thursday by music’s most famous wife-murderer has long been in the King’s Singers sights. ‘But we held back because of the Hilliard’s famous recording. This is the right moment for us - we can do this harmonically amazing music without people thinking “they’re just copying the Hilliards”’. Eavesdropping on a session in Douai Abbey in Berkshire, I’m immediately struck by the group’s instinctive mutual understanding - this is a true democracy, and it works - and its famed concern for precise balance and intonation. ‘Every group has its distinctive sonority, of course. We think in terms of a pyramid of sound, built up from a strong bass foundation, with the second baritone complementing the bass, and so on. And when we come to the top line, David Hurley will take into account the fact that his voice will ping across the building and be heard more easily than the lowest parts.’ In recording the Tenebrae Responses, the King’s Singers are aiming for ‘a pretty close liturgical reconstruction of what you would have heard in Gesualdo’s castle 400 years ago. Between each set of three responsories we’ve included a lesson from scripture, sung as plainchant by a single voice. These solo oases make the next section of weird harmonies even more dramatic. At the end of the whole service you were meant to say the Pater Noster. I’m hoping to add on 45 seconds of ambient sound in the editing, and print the words of the Pater Noster in the booklet so that listeners can say it for themselves. That’s the bonus track, our answer to Cage’s 4’33’’…’ goldbergweb.com The King's Singers is, with no doubt, one of the most solvent and influential groups of the early music performance in the last thirty years. Nowadays, apart from its excellent performances it also offers master classes at different cities all over the world. classicstoday.com The King's Singers are always a treat to hear, no matter the repertoire, although I can't remember ever hearing the ensemble sing plainchant before. However, as with everything this inimitable, impeccably-tuned and balanced, stylish male sextet does, the chant is expertly accomplished, and the following multi-part responsories are sincerely felt and warmly resonant. Although I still prefer the smoother transitions and more subtle dynamics and phrasing of the Hilliards, this is an excellent choice for this repertoire, rendered in clear, vibrant sound (when it comes to vocal music, it's always a plus when the name of engineer Mike Hatch appears in the list of recording credits). The liner notes are just detailed enough to define a proper context for composer and music and to provide a rationale for the programming. Complete texts and translations are included. Music Week |