cantoLX, B’Rock Orchesta and conductor Frank Agsteribbe present Antwerp Requiem c. 1650, an album showcasing the exceptional wealth of musical life in Antwerp in the age of Rubens. Philippus van Steelant’s recently-rediscovered Requiem settings are unique in their exuberant splendour, tied to a funerary culture that embraced the glory of life. B’Rock Orchestra is one of today’s most forward-thinking period orchestras with a desire for encounter and exchange. The ensemble returns to Pentatone after having released Schubert’s complete symphonies with conductor René Jacobs between 2018 and 2022. cantoLX approaches vocal music with stylistic excellence and vocal purity. Their artistic leader Frank Agsteribbe was one of B’Rock’s founders, and brings the two ensembles together for this recording. cantoLX and Agsteribbe both make their Pentatone debut.
Christopher Steyne – crescendo-magazine.be – 16 March 2023
“… The performances are magnificent, and the recorded sound warm and rich. The recording was made in a splendid chapel in Ghent. There is a pronounced reverberation, but not enough to obscure the musical texture.”
William J Gatens – American Record Guide – March/April 2023
Nominee in the Baroque Vocal category
2023 ICMA Nominee
Editor’s Choice – Vocal
“… For sheer gorgeousness, this recording is hard to fault: the two ensembles … combine very effectively, and they make the most of Sealant’s undoubted dramatic touches …”
Fabrice Fitch – Gramophone magazine – November 2022
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