Song of Songs -Hybr-

could I have some more pepper?
I remember reading an interview with the singers of early music quartet Anonymous 4 in which they complained about critics saying that they sang "too lovingly". Is it possible to be over-sweet in music? Well, the idea kept in the back of my mind until recently I heard this performance by Stile Antico. Speaking of songs directly inspired by "the most profane book of the Old Testament" (i'm quoting the liner notes), my only complaint is that these guys sing too heavenly. This is almost erotic poetry we're talking about, and sometimes while listening to the CD I feel as if I'm attending mass. On the other hand, the album won a Gramophone Award and I respect the jury's discernment: the interpretation is blended and balanced, as they say. But if you want to contrast this with a sassier version of some of these songs, try Les Voix Baroques album "Canticum Canticorum", luscious from its cover to the whole musical approach.

It's All About Affect!
I had high hopes for this recording. For one thing, several ammy reviewers who taste I respect have given Stile Antico high praise. For another, I WANTED to like it; there are a hundred topnotch Baroque era performances on CD for every passable one of Renaissance era music, and this stuff, the vocal polyphony of composers like Lassus and Guerrero, was my first grown-up musical Love. Besides, Stile Antico is a young ensemble of fresh-faced British singers, and one has to heap injudicious praise on the young at least some of the time. But... I don't like it much. To be honest, I doubt I'll listen to it more than oncec or twice before I back-shelf it. My four-star rating is as generous as I can be. Yes, there are some strengths in this performance. The choir is well-balanced. Their attacks are precise, their Latin diction is acceptable, and they are not afraid of the "crunchy" cross-relations, suspensions, dissonances that make this music piquantly effective. But... their tempi are unforgivably slow and uniform. Piece after piece their 'tactus' ticks along at 50-40 beats per minute, far slower than the average heartbeat which 16th C music theorists posited as a standard for setting a tactus. They offer some dynamic variety, but almost no relief from a constant legato. They sing all of these diverse compositions with the same affect - solemn and austere - so that one would nver guess whether they were singing Lamentations for Tenebrae or motets for a Medici wedding, which is precisely what Jehan Llheritier's "Nigra sum" was chosen to be. But these are all settings of texts from the Song of Solomon. They should all surge with scarcely-restrained erotic passion. Above all, they should not all sound alike, yet here they do. Stile Antico is choir of twelve voices. Except for the plainchant antiphons between motets, they consistently sing three on a part. Choirs of twelve - choirs of three or four times as many - ARE historically justified for works by Gombert, Victoria, and the others. But... the music sounds better nearly always sung one-on-a-part, as the Orlando Consort sings it, or two-on-a-part in the unique case of The Clerks' Group. Stile Antico is not at that level of polish, not even close. If you listen to their voices on the solo antiphons, you'll hear that they are not "big-time concert solo quality." It seems to be widely supposed that if you bundle three or four fairly good voices on a part in a choir, you'll produce the equivalent of one great voice on each part. That's just no so. I hope this group thrives and improves. I hope they reach the level of musicianship of The Tallis Scholars at their finest. But they're not there yet.

Simple. Simply, brilliant!
I'm a very general classical music fan. I love the standards. Along with many Jazz standards, a huge array of Rock, rap, R+B, alternative, etc., etc. If you like to study or work to classical music or anything resembling Enya this is a perfect addition to your collection. It's beautiful and brilliant. Thanks for the recommendation Amazon!

Stile Antico Song of Songs
I bought this after hearing bits of it on NPR. Choral music isn't something I usually like, but this album is beautiful. It is very peaceful and brings to mind ripples on an almost-frozen lake on a clear, sunny winter's day.

Lovely, soothing, and soaring
I think my title pretty much sums up my opinion on this music. I've been listening to it almost every evening for a few weeks now, and have yet to get tired of it. It's simple, elegant, and graceful. Truly music raised towards the heavens.