Although the “big work” here is the Christmas mass Hodie Christus natus est, the biggest musical thrills (if such a word can be used in this context!) come from the various motets, particularly O magnum mysterium, Tui sunt coeli, O admirabile commercium, and Christe, redemptor omnium. These motets show Palestrina at his most refined and concise, artfully spinning and expertly weaving lines of polyphony as sublime as anyone has ever conceived. The Choir of Westminster Cathedral is as well versed in this music as any modern choir could be, and the performances are not only accurate and musically sound but are charged with an enthusiasm that we don’t often hear in today’s renditions of ancient church music. Some listeners will object to the extremely bright sound quality, which at times borders on harshness, but this is typical of recordings made in this venue and seems to be a reflection of the space rather than any engineering decision. Palestrina and Christmas choral music fans will glean hours of pleasurable listening from this generously timed (78-minute) program, whose repertoire fills yet another gap in the ever-growing recorded catalog focusing on this great and timeless Renaissance master. [11/4/2003]
