Best 20: Faure, Barber, Buxtehude, / Accentus

Named "one of the world's leading choirs" by Gramophone Magazine, Accentus celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. The choir, founded and directed by Laurence Equilbey, has built a solid reputation worldwide, garnering 2 GRAMMY nominations over their 18 recordings with Naïve. This special CD release presents 20 highlights from the choir's discography, and includes jewels of the repertoire such as Barber's Agnus Dei, Faure's 'In Paradisum', Strauss' Traumlicht, and a transcription of Vivaldi's L'inverno.

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Anniversary grab bag

In honor of its 20 years of performing (and almost as many in the studio), Accentus has prepared this 20-track sampler disc. The choir has recorded some modern stuff, two discs of transcriptions, and unusual versions of more standard pieces--such as the piano-accompanied Brahms Requiem and Dvorak Stabat Mater. It's a versatile chorus, at home in various styles, and secure at any dynamic level (except, perhaps, for the solo voice attacking the top B in Barber's "Agnus Dei" adaptation). While one expects liner notes to be small these days, the first time I glanced through the booklet, I didn't even see the English words, which literally run right on from the French. Even though this sells at a reduced price, your money might be better spent on any of the group's full-length CDs; still, if you're curious to give them a try, the sound is good, sung texts are included, and the selections cover a wide range of material.
Submitted on 05/05/12 by Jim D.

Works Details

Gabriel Fauré (1845 - 1924) : Requiem, Op. 48 (Original 1896 version) :: In Paradisum

Performer: Christophe Henry (Organ)
Conductor: Laurence Equilbey
Ensemble: Maîtrise de Paris
Running Time: 3 min. 8 sec.
Period Time: Post Romantic
Form: Choral
Written: 1887-1900

Barber, Samuel : Agnus Dei

Conductor: Laurence Equilbey
Running Time: 7 min. 10 sec.
Period Time: Modern
Written: 1967

Buxtehude, Dietrich : Cantata, BuxWV 15 :: Hallelujah

Conductor: Laurence Equilbey
Ensemble: Concerto Köln
Running Time: 2 min. 54 sec.
Period Time: Baroque

Poulenc, Francis : Mass in G major :: Sanctus

Conductor: Laurence Equilbey
Running Time: 2 min. 30 sec.
Period Time: Modern
Form: Choral
Written: 1937

Poulenc, Francis : Figure Humaine :: Patience

Conductor: Laurence Equilbey
Running Time: 2 min. sec.
Period Time: Modern
Form: Cantata/Oratorio
Written: 1943

Schumann, Robert : Heidenröslein ("Sah ein Knab' ein Röslein steh'n"), part song for mixed voices, Op. 67/3

Conductor: Laurence Equilbey
Running Time: 1 min. 36 sec.
Period Time: Romantic
Written: 1849

Strauss, Richard : Choruses (3), Op. posth. 123 :: 2. Traumlicht

Conductor: Laurence Equilbey
Running Time: 5 min. 8 sec.
Period Time: Post Romantic
Written: 1935

Brahms, Johannes : Ein deutsches requiem, Op. 45 (London version) :: Wie lieblich sind Deine Wohnungen

Performers: Brigitte Engerer (Piano); Boris Berezovsky (Piano)
Conductor: Laurence Equilbey
Running Time: 5 min. 1 sec.
Period Time: Romantic
Form: Choral
Written: 1857-1868

Brahms, Johannes : Verlorene Jugend ("Brausten alle Berge"), for chorus (vocal sextet), Op. 104/4

Conductor: Laurence Equilbey
Running Time: 2 min. 6 sec.
Period Time: Romantic
Form: Chamber Music
Written: 1888

Sibelius, Jean : The Broken Voice (Sortunut ääni), partsong for (or mixed) male chorus, Op. 18/7

Conductor: Eric Ericson
Running Time: 1 min. 50 sec.
Period Time: Post Romantic
Written: 1898

Mendelssohn, Felix : Christus, Op. 97 :: Ihr Töchter Zions

Conductor: Laurence Equilbey
Ensemble: Ensemble Orchestral de Paris
Running Time: 3 min. 33 sec.
Period Time: Romantic
Form: Cantata/Oratorio
Written: 1847

Dusapin, Pascal : Dona eis :: Umbræ

Conductor: Laurence Equilbey
Ensemble: Ars Nova Ensemble (Copenhagen)
Running Time: 3 min. 25 sec.
Period Time: Contemporary
Written: 1998

Ravel, Maurice : Ronsard à son âme

Conductor: Laurence Equilbey
Running Time: 2 min. 13 sec.
Period Time: Modern
Written: 1923-1924

Schoenberg, Arnold : Drei Volksliedsätze :: Es gingen zwei Gespielen gut

Conductor: Laurence Equilbey
Running Time: 3 min. 34 sec.
Period Time: Post Romantic
Written: 1948

Antonin Dvorák (1841 - 1904) : Stabat Mater (Original 1876 version) :: Eja, Mater, fons amoris

Performer: Brigitte Engerer (Piano)
Conductor: Laurence Equilbey
Running Time: 6 min. 6 sec.
Period Time: Romantic

Schubert, Franz : Geist der Liebe, D 747/Op. 11 no 3

Performers: Edouard Garcin (Piano); Robert Getchell (Countertenor)
Conductor: Laurence Equilbey
Running Time: 3 min. 36 sec.
Period Time: Romantic
Written: 01/1822

Haydn, Franz Joseph : Die sieben letzten worte :: Lento

Performers: Ruth Sandhoff (Mezzo Soprano); Harry van der Kamp (Bass); Robert Getchell (Countertenor); Sandrine Piau (Soprano)
Conductor: Laurence Equilbey
Running Time: 5 min. 23 sec.
Period Time: Classical
Form: Cantata/Oratorio
Written: 1795-1796

Rachmaninov, Sergei : Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, Op. 31 :: Bless the Lord, O my Soul (Psalm 102 (103))

Conductor: Laurence Equilbey
Running Time: 4 min. sec.
Period Time: Post Romantic
Written: 1910

Vivaldi, Antonio : Le Quattro Stagioni :: L'Inverno

Conductor: Laurence Equilbey
Ensemble: Monts du Reuil
Running Time: 3 min. 40 sec.
Period Time: Baroque
Form: Concerto
Written: 1725

Handel, George Frideric : Messiah :: Hallelujah

Conductor: Laurence Equilbey
Ensemble: Concerto Köln
Running Time: 3 min. 30 sec.
Period Time: Baroque
Form: Cantata/Oratorio
Written: 1741

Best 20: Faure, Barber, Buxtehude / Accentus, Equilbey

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