Stravinsky, Igor - Les Noces / Mass / Cantata - Reuss, Daniel (conductor)
Carolyn Sampson, Susan Parry, Jan Kobow, Vsevolod Grivnov & Maxim Mikhailov,
RIAS Kammerchor; musikFabrik / Daniel Reuss
This tribute to Stravinsky at his fines,t from the combined talents of the RIAS Kammerchor and MusikFabrik, includes the extraordinary, pioneering 'Les Noces' which took Stravinsky more than ten years to complete, plus the 'Mass' of 1948 and the 'Cantata' of 1952.
"a joy, MusikFabrik's four pianists and six percussionists produce an electrifying sound, as do the impeccable RIAS Kammerchor, the silver-toned soprano Carolyn Sampson, and mezzo Susan Parry, whose maudlin mother-of the-bride is superb...Jan Kobow's Cantus Cancrizans is riveting." The Independent on Sunday
"a feeling of rhythmic joy, is what makes this new performance so exhilarating. The rhythms are unrelenting, spellbinding, only pausing for the blessing, the two mothers' lament, and the moment the mother lets her daughter go. The performance is terrific, directed with superb exuberance by Daniel Reuss.
Why is the Mass not better known? ... The pungent harmonies give it bite, especially in the thrilling Sanctus, and the Agnus Dei is haunting in the same way that the 'alleluias' at the end of the Symphony of Psalms are unforgettable. The Cantata, too, opens gloriously and is lyrically inspired throughout... The music is extraordinarily beautiful - and here is another surprise: it is possible to write serial music worth listening to! The performances are all marvellous: who would have expected to hear Carolyn Sampson singing Stravinsky? This record is not to be missed." Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010