COMPOSERS: Esteves,etc,Neves,Pinto
LABELS: K617
ALBUM TITLE: Collection: Negro Spirituals of Baroque Brazil
WORKS: Music
PERFORMER: Musique de Lumière/Jean-Christophe Frisch
CATALOGUE NO: 130 Reissue (2000)
K617’s title is misleading. There are no negro spirituals here, just a selection of instrumental and sacred choral works, in European Baroque style, by black, white and mulatto composers from Brazil, Portugal and Bolivia. Quality is variable. Unfortunately, the longer pieces – Pinto’s Te Deum, Esteves’s Magnificat – are the least remarkable, while more original works – an anonymous trio sonata, Oliveira’s brief Miserere, Neves’s briefer Salve regina – involve considerable ‘reconstruction’ of parts (adding horns seems a favoured ploy). Performances are fair if unexceptional, but the sound is too resonant and no sung texts are included. Of interest chiefly to academics and specialists. Graham Lock
Pinto, Esteves, Neves, etc
K617’s title is misleading. There are no negro spirituals here, just a selection of instrumental and sacred choral works, in European Baroque style, by black, white and mulatto composers from Brazil, Portugal and Bolivia. Quality is variable. Unfortunately, the longer pieces – Pinto’s Te Deum, Esteves’s Magnificat – are the least remarkable, while more original works – an anonymous trio sonata, Oliveira’s brief Miserere, Neves’s briefer Salve regina – involve considerable ‘reconstruction’ of parts (adding horns seems a favoured ploy).
Our rating
3
Published: January 20, 2012 at 1:18 pm