At first glance, you may wonder whether we need yet another disc of some of the Counter-Reformation’s greatest hits. Palestrina’s Missa Papae Marcelli, Tu Es Petrus and Sicut Cervus as well as Victoria’s Missa O Quam Gloriosum have been recorded countless times and surely there are many interesting and lesser-known pieces to explore? After all, Palestrina did write at least 104 masses and how many of those do we get to hear?
These are quite legitimate questions, but New York Polyphony makes a plausible case for saying there’s always room for one more account of core repertory. The group’s main point of difference from previous recordings is that they perform the music one voice to a part and at a pitch to accommodate their four male voices (countertenor, tenor, baritone and bass).
The fine quartet of main singers (Geoffrey Williams, Steven Caldicott Wilson, Christopher Dylan Herbert and Craig Phillips) are joined by countertenor Tim Keeler; tenor Andrew Fuchs and bass-baritone Jonathan Woody for the Palestrina mass and motet, and for some chant propers for Easter that are interwoven with the mass.
Singing the Missa Papae Marcelli a fourth below its regular pitch creates quite a different sound world, particularly requiring clarity and projection in the resulting lower bass line and potentially robbing the music of the strength of its treble climaxes. Fortunately, NYP is more than equal to these challenges and once your ears are adjusted, there is much to admire, especially in ensemble and phrasing. Tu Es Petrus is sung with obvious enjoyment, but it’s a pity that the lesser-known second part of the motet is omitted, because it’s equally exciting and well crafted. Happily, the second half of Sicut Cervus is included, although it could have benefited from a little more overt drama in its delivery.
“NYP is more than equal to challenges and, once ears are adjusted, there is much to admire“
Victoria’s Missa O Quam Gloriosum is sung with elegance and energy, and is a good contrast with Palestrina’s style. It is interleaved with two fine settings of Gaudent in Coelis; one by Victoria and the other by Palestrina.
Curiously, all this quintessentially Roman music is sung with an English rather than Italian approach to Latin pronunciation. Such an approach was apt for the group’s previous disc of Byrd and Tallis, but seems perverse with this music. Despite such perversity, NYP’s fine singing deserves to be heard and is a tribute to the enduring appeal of Roman polyphony.
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