If you’re a choral music fan and you somehow missed this in its original Collins Classics release in 1992, you probably already own a more satisfactory version of Barber’s Agnus Dei (see Reference Recordings above), and the Irving Fine set, the Copland motets, and the Barber Reincarnations also have been done as well or better than here. In fact, the attractiveness of this program’s concept is such that many others have done their own Bernstein, Barber, Copland compilations (again, see references above), each with slightly different selections but with more overall success as recordings.
Of course, not every choir is as accomplished and renowned as The Sixteen. But while most of the group’s recordings are top choices in the catalog–especially in Renaissance and Baroque music–this outing is not one of its premier efforts. Not that the singing is the primary culprit–the Fine and the rarely-heard Bernstein selections are outstanding, and the Copland motets and Barber Reincarnations are equally solid and polished. But the choice of Steve Reich’s Clapping Music, which has nothing to do with a choir or singing, is strange and pointless. It requires two performers who just clap in a rhythmic formula that might be interesting on paper but fails to make more than an annoying impression on the ear long before its five and a half minutes have expired.
I’ve already made my comments regarding the Agnus Dei (type Q6986 in Search Reviews) as this same performance was issued on an earlier Coro compilation. In short, it’s poorly balanced, harsh in the loudest, densest passages, and is sabotaged by the very slow tempo. Overall, the sound perspective is oddly close, and considering that the project was recorded by one of the best engineers in the business, Mike Hatch, we can only assume that the result was intended–or that the fabled acoustics of the Snape Maltings concert hall chose to be inhospitable on this occasion. Because it’s The Sixteen, there’s a certain standard of professionalism and artistry exhibited in any of its performances–but because it’s The Sixteen we also expect these singers to always be on, and their recordings to be great. This one is merely good enough.
