Choral Music: Best sounding recordings

[PatF]

The strength of Congregational Chorale (from Bach's Mangificat) is not easy to capture.
I find Dunedin Consort version to have that quality,along with their respect for original reconstructions of masterpieces.

Bach – Magnificat – Dunedin Consort

www.dunedin-consort.org.uk

I also like Butt approach. Regarding chorale nice try but I still have in mind this reconstruction of Lutheran Mass and congregational singing (3:30):

 

[MickeyBoy]

Quite good recording - Beautiful music - Outstanding performance

Voces 8 - Enchanted Isle - DECCA

Is this not a rendition of Barber's famous adagio for string quartet and then for orchestra? The balance seems tilted towards the treble and way from the middle voices. Real ambiance?

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Is this not a rendition of Barber's famous adagio for string quartet and then for orchestra? The balance seems tilted towards the treble and way from the middle voices. Real ambiance?

Yup. Too much of a good thing turns it into something not as good as it was.

 

[PatF]

Is this not a rendition of Barber's famous adagio for string quartet and then for orchestra? The balance seems tilted towards the treble and way from the middle voices. Real ambiance?

Yes it is rendition of Barber adagio for strings. I do not know if ambience is natural, it seems like that. I like it very much, it is really good performance.

 

[PatF]

Is this not a rendition of Barber's famous adagio for string quartet and then for orchestra? The balance seems tilted towards the treble and way from the middle voices. Real ambiance?

there is another well recorded choir version of Barber's Adagio but for me in few moments there is too much forceful sang but maybe you will find it more interesting.

Regarding composition itself most popular orchestral version (1936) is based on 2nd movement of Barber's String Quartet B-minor op.11. Version for choir was arranged by Barber himself in 1976

 

[Sokel]

there is another well recorded choir version of Barber's Adagio but for me in few moments there is too much forceful sang but maybe you will find it more interesting.

Passion (sometimes translated with a little too much strength) and good recordings is something like a signature for Dunedin Consort.
You can find it in most of their performances and it's interesting.

 

[PatF]

Passion (sometimes translated with a little too much strength) and good recordings is something like a signature for Dunedin Consort.
You can find it in most of their performances and it's interesting.

Yea I know but here there is too much of strain for my liking.

 

[Elkerton]

Thank you for all of the samples you have found on YouTube. I will be listening to more.

I have only recently started to listen to early choral music. My taste has always been for bigger works. I haven't checked the internet for videos of my favourite performances, paying little heed to their sound quality because I haven't taken the time, some of which are:

Bach, Mass in Bm, Rifkin, Nonesuch
Beethoven, Missa Solemnis, live Levine, DGG
Mahler, 8th Symphony, de Witt, Naxos
Verdi, Requiem, Papano, EMI

I'm also very fond of Mendelssohn's choral music and could recommend some fine performances of it should anyone be interested.

 

[PatF]

I am looking at Romantic period also like on early music so... my Mendelssohn recommendations is this record:

 

[PatF]

Also Rossini Petite messe solennelle in this performance is really great:

 

[Elkerton]

In the McCreesh, I particularly like the low organ pedal notes accompanying the first chorus even though they are a bit too loud because that is what I would expect to hear here in a church performing such music, but it doesn't displace the Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos on EMI:

but the rest is not there, and what is is scattered and not in order like the McCreesh.

 

[Elkerton]

You might also fancy:

 

[PatF]

I do have big problem with "romantic" vocal emission so I am usually looking for toned down performances . I like very much in McCreesh recording types of instruments he used e.g. English Slide Trumpets which where very popular and used in 19th century England.

 

[pjn]

This is one I love:

One of my all time favorite recordings

 

[Elkerton]

Pat,
I understand your appreciation of HIP and your preference/desire to hear individual voices clearly. I like it/them too. For me, a performance trumps all, and the de Burgos recording excites me more.

 

[PatF]

Pat,
I understand your appreciation of HIP and your preference/desire to hear individual voices clearly. I like it/them too. For me, a performance trumps all, and the de Burgos recording excites me more.

Great, I have nothing against it

 

[Robin L]

I'm credited as recording engineer on this (I had lots of help). Very different than the sort of repertoire posted so far, these are choral arrangements of songs from eastern Europe, primarily Bulgaria. Most of the ambient character of this recording comes from the acoustic of Saint Steven's Presbyterian church in Belvedere (Marin Country, California).

 

[bevok]

Back to Bach, although not multichannel this recording of the Motets 225-229 has a lovely soundstage and layering (as well as a good performance).

 

[iGude]

Personally I find Translations by Erik Esenvalds both extremely moving and well recorded. It is Stereophile's Recording of the Month in June 2020.
Unfortunately, it is recorded in stereo only. What a shame...

You can listen to it here:

EŠENVALDS, Ē.: Choral Music (Translations) (Portla.. - 8.574124 | Discover more releases from Naxos

Conveniently buy, stream or download at Naxos anytime. Add 8.574124 from Naxos to your classical music collection today.

www.naxos.com

 

[EERecordist]

ASR may enjoy this recording of Mozart's Requiem in D Minor completed posthumously in Barcelona's Sagrada Familia. Not exactly Christmas music, but recorded Christmas week. By the Orchestra and Chorus of the Gran Teatre del Lice, the orchestra and chorus of Barcelona.