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Atma Classique4
Art Choral Vol. 4 Classique
Ensemble Artchoral (conducted by Matthias Maute)
Atma Classique, 2023
This album is the fourth release by Ensemble Artchoral, previously known as Ensemble vocal Arts-Québec, focusing on composers and music from the early 18th-century. In their “Classique” volume, Ensemble Artchoral provides stunning renditions of early classical-era liturgical music. The album marries choral music and the nuances of the 18th- century German enlightenment in a modern way, particularly with the addition of singing Gottlob Benedict Bierey’s “Kyrie for four voices’’ over the first movement of Beethoven’s infamous Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor, Op. 27, No. 2, “Moonlight.” Overlaying this lesser-known piece of sacred music atop a piece that is familiar to such a wide audience is clever and innovative, and proves the ensemble is unafraid to shift from tradition in order to draw in the modern listener.
The album also includes a plethora of choral works by Mozart and Haydn, which are executed to a high degree. In particular, the counterpoint in Mozart’s “Sancta Maria, mater Dei in F major” is extremely unified, with the sections achieving excellent balance and blend. The piano accompaniment provides a lovely contrast, while not overpowering the voices at any point. The album opens with an unaccompanied work: Gasparini’s Adoramus te. This immediately and effectively sets the tone for the album: one of simply captivating and brilliant liturgical music that is often lost within the contemporary listener’s canon.
This page is also available in / Cette page est également disponible en:
Francais (French)
