Although you wouldn’t know it from the disc packaging, there is a rather remarkable boy soprano performing on this recording, along with an alto that presumably is his brother. I have no idea regarding their ages or experience–virtually nothing is mentioned about them in the liner notes (except to say they are boys who attend the Choral schola of the Hofburgkapelle in Vienna)–but their musicianship is impressive and their voices are exceptional in tone, technique, and stylistically assured expression. It’s unfortunate that more than two pages of the brief CD booklet are devoted to telling us everything we don’t need to know about René Clemencic and his Consort (including a half-page picture of the director!), while the two most compelling performers go nearly uncredited.
Nevertheless, the important thing is that these singers are here, and you can hear their work in clear, well-produced renditions of early Baroque arias and duets by Schütz, Monteverdi, and other lesser-known composers of the period. There are instrumental selections as well, but musically these are nothing particularly special, although they are performed to this ensemble’s usual high standard. As for the disc’s Christmas credentials, most listeners won’t find anything in the music overtly suggestive of the religious holiday even though several of these pieces were written for seasonal purposes. Lastly, the recently discovered Gloria attributed to Handel is included, and while it’s definitely not a masterpiece (and doesn’t even sound that much like Handel), it shows soprano Lorin Wey to dazzling effect, and for that reason it merits attention from listeners for whom this sort of repertoire is already interesting.
