A double-feature Fanfare review by J.F. Weber features our LIVE IN GREECE and Mt. Sinai: Frontier of Byzantium recordings.
Mt. Sinai: Frontier of Byzantium
“The chants for these two services come from a variety of sources in or close to the 14th century, including works by such well-known composers as John Koukouzeles and Manuel Chrysaphes. The choir of eight men sings with deep-throated conviction and a solemnity that preserves the forward motion of the works. Ison is audible but not overpowering. The commendable aspect of this disc is the antiquity of the chants. For every disc I have of Byzantine chant before the 17th century, there must be 30 from later eras…” —J.F. Weber
LIVE IN GREECE
“This time, a mixed choir of 10 voices performs this varied program with such subtlety, tonal beauty, and concentration that the American choir must have been keenly aware of the audience that they were singing for. People who own the Byzantine liturgy needed to be convinced. It’s like the Chicago Symphony playing Mahler in Vienna: What a brass section! … These are two more Cappella Romana programs that offer imaginative views of Byzantine chant.” —J.F. Weber
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