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Reviews: Tallis: Spem in alium, Missa Salve intemerata - Oxford Camerata

Reviews: 2

Review by threerandot April 10, 2008 (3 of 6 found this review helpful)
Performance:   Sonics:  
This was the first SA-CD that I ever purchased. I picked it up out of necessity. There were few discs in the store I was in the day I got my SA-CD player. I had hoped that this disc would have been better.

I have never been a huge fan of poylphony by composers like Tallis. However, the music isn't really the problem with this disc. The recording is disappointing with the sound bouncing around too much and obscuring any clarity that might otherwise have come through. The Oxford Camerata are obviously a very good group of singers, but I get the feeling this recording was done in haste and the final results are lacking. The sound feels compressed and lacks any air at all.

The singers are good and I cannot fault them for this recording which doesn't do them hardly any justice. Even with its problems, the Spem in Alium recorded here brings a little pleasure, but not much. The remainder of the disc does little to improve upon it.

Its a shame that Naxos did not take more time and pick a better location for recording this very good group of singers who deserved better.

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Review by Allen November 10, 2009 (4 of 5 found this review helpful)
Performance:   Sonics:  
I bought this title, not because I am familliar with Tallis' works, but for the rummor I heard from a hifi BBS about the title's rating in Penguin's Guide: It actually is the first title ever in Penguin's history with 4 stars and a rosette because of its surround sound effect, and later when the SACD is withdrawn from the market, the rating is reduced to 3 stars.

Indeed, the 2009 Penguin Guide awards the RBCD version of this title 3 stars and lamente the withdrawal of the SACD version.

So I bought this SACD, just to see what all the hype is about, and what a surprise it is!

In contrast to most of Naxos' SACD, this title deploys the 4:0 surround sound: rear speakers are used equally as the front speakers to reproduce the church accoustics, and the result is stunning; the sonics of a church is so real that the listener feels immersed right in the middle of it.

Strongly recommend it, and you better have a MC system to see what I mean.

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