Victoria Tenebrae Responsories
  • Palestrina
    Posts: 364
    I hope that members of this forum won't mind me posting about my group's new CD of the Victoria Tenebrae Responsories. For some years, Q has sung the Tenebrae Responsories during Holy Week both as a meditation on Palm Sunday evening and also during the Office of Tenebrae on Good Friday. One year, we even sang all three nights of Tenebrae!

    I would be grateful if you would have a listen to our CD and also consider buying a copy at the link below:

    http://www.myspace.com/qmusicaustralia/

    All of the responsories have been transposed down a fifth, such that the highest voice is a counter-tenor. We think that this lends the works a very beautiful, dark quality and a colouring that is distinctive.
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,157
    Congratulations: the sample recording is beautiful.
  • Abbot Jonathan CoelAbbot Jonathan Coel
    Posts: 167
    Absolutely magnificent! I will be buying your CD. What edition did you use?
  • Palestrina
    Posts: 364
    Thank you, Chonak and Abbot Jonathan Coel for your kind works about the recording.

    To answer your question, Abbot Jonathan, we used very plain editions of the works - essentially clean editions (ie. no expressive markings, tempi etc) - and added all of expression during (many) rehearsals. In this way, the interpretations are intrinsically connected with the ensemble, adjusted to the colours of our voices, our responses to the text and its setting by Victoria. Making this recording was an intensely personal project for us, because one cannot help but be moved by the rich levels of meaning and expression in Victoria's work, which bring the text - with all of its emotional and spiritual meaning - into a very vivid and present 'now.'
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