Ivan Ilic

“… The St John’s Voices is a wonderfully balanced group of singers especially appreciated in the contrapuntal sections; all parts easily heard. Nearly all of the works on this disc have an up-lifting character thanks to rhythmic variety and accessible melodic lines for both choir and audience to enjoy on first hearing. The organ accompaniment to, especially, the Jesus College Canticles is marvellous—as well as marvellously performed… This is a rewarding addition to the recordings of Mathias’s output.”

“… I happily recommend the disc. Mr. Callaghan is a fine pianist, who sounds better with every new release and who is completely in tune with the music, while Mr. Wallfisch plays this unfamiliar repertoire with tremendous musicality.”

“… I have to say, without fear or favour, that Parry’s oratorio is absolutely magnificent… Parry’s inventive powers are fully capable of meeting the demands of his imagination and ambition, as indeed are all the performers and engineers involved in this significant issue… The Crouch End Festival Chorus are quite exceptionally good, with fine, crisp, clear tone, always together and in tune, and perfectly blended… The soloists are fine too with Kathryn Rudge as Meshullemeth, Manessah’s wife, especially creamy-toned and eloquent. The true hero of this enterprise is the conductor William Vann who spearheaded the project to revive and perform the work in April 2019, and then to record it.  His grasp of the music is most impressive and his control of the technical intricacies of conducting is immaculate…. The thunderous finale is Parry at his epic best.  These moments are totally overwhelming.”

Ms. Mykytenko has a very attractive coloratura voice, quite strong throughout most of her considerable range, and with a well-controlled vibrato. She has a rather pure, angelic sound, though her voice seems to have sufficient resonance to carry it over orchestral tuttis. Her technique and agility are impressive as well. On this recording, she sings with enough passion and conviction to meet the dramatic demands of the various roles involved here… Kirill Karabits and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra offer splendid accompaniment in every number, and Chandos provides vivid and well balanced sound reproduction… This is a fine effort all around and well worth the attention of Verdi and opera mavens.”

“An enjoyable and well-executed anthology of music by one of the most interesting of today’s choral composers.”

“… The sound has a satisfying clarity and balance. Conductor Herrmann’s booklet essay ‘Salieri - Strictly Private’ is invaluable, with helpful information about each work. .. This album of cantatas by Salieri, a composer too often ignored, is certainly worth investigating.”

“… another enterprising Lyrita release of premiere recordings, all superbly played and recorded, William Boughton being a great advocate for British music and a man who is not frightened to learn new and demanding scores.”

Recommended

“…The soloists (instrumental and vocal) on this recording are all strong. Of note must be the newly-constructed organ (for use in the continuo) … What a rich, rounded, full and impressive organ sound it is. It, too, has an immediacy and directness in the all-important continuo, but also a delectable ampleness elsewhere and is played by Suzuki's son Masato. The vocal principals, too, are excellent in every way. Tenor Benjamin Bruns’s Evangelist is outstanding. His is a rich, sonorous and colourful voice. He aptly varies his tone according to circumstance… one is struck by passion, compassion, regret, anger, joy, horror, and ultimately by resignation as Bruns articulates them…. The Saitama Arts Theatre Concert Hall in Tokyo is a different venue to that used for Suzuki’s cantata cycle. It’s spacious and open without being too cavernous; it gives just the right sense of occasion, and sponsors excellent projection of soloists, chorus and instrumentalists. The SACD format, engineered by the experts at BIS serves only to enhance the sense of the depth of the recorded sound stage. There are almost 90 complete recordings of the St Matthew Passion in the current catalogue. This one must now be considered as standing proud near the very top; it is heartily recommended without hesitation.”