Sacred Music Series (4 Volumes)
Vol. 1 The Gothic Revolution
Vol. 2 Palestrina and the Popes
Vol. 3 Tallis, Byrd, & the Tudors
Vol. 4 Bach & the Lutheran Legacy
Performers: The Sixteen; Conductor: Harry Christophers
Host and Narrator: Simon Russell Beale
Producer/Director: Andy King-Dabbs
Studio: CORO/ BBC 2008, (2 DVDs)
[Distrib. by Allegro]
Video: 16:9 Color
Audio: PCM Stereo
Extras: An Easter Concert preview; Easter Concert tracks = TALLIS: Salvator mundi; Salva Nos; BYRD: Agnus Dei from Mass for 4 Voices; Audio Tracks = ALLEGRI: Miserere; BACH: Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben from Cantata 147; Harry Christophers’s Favorite Recordings; The Sixteens’s Favorite Recordings; The Sixteen Timeline; Artist Biographies and Images
Length: 298 minutes
Rating: ****
Actor and former chorister Simon Russell Beale takes us on a tour of western sacred music starting with Gregorian chant and moving forward century by century until we end with Bach. This is a fine series, greatly enjoyable and informative, using the considerable talents of Harry Christophers and the Sixteen, easily my favorite British early music ensemble (and the bearers of the best new Messiah recording in 30 years) along the way. This is not a program that will alienate casual listeners; indeed this is strictly designed to attract them, but will at the same time not bore those with more comprehensive knowledge of the field.
We travel to Italy, Britain, France, and Germany during the course of these four BBC-produced volumes on two DVDs, and spend a lot of time talking to those who are currently involved with the singing of the music of these composers, among the more interesting moments here. Beale does spend a lot of time walking it seems—outside cathedrals, into libraries, all over the place, and I think the filming takes a little too much time with this. Also, Christophers and company are shown far too little in my opinion, and I would have liked more performances by them. But what we get is extraordinarily good, and even though some of the performances of those not associated with the choir are not the best, it shows the spirit and commitment of these musical groups—often amateur—who love to sing this music.
The highlight is probably Vol. 3, when we get to hear in detail about the trials and tribulations of the recusant composers—those caught in the transitional stage of Elizabethan Protestantism and how they managed to survive—and even thrive—in very adverse circumstances. There is some intense psychological probing into the character of William Byrd, for instance, that is very interesting. The low point for me was the Bach episode, too Protestant after so much Catholic heritage, and too much time spent on music that is not choral. Bach is always welcome of course, but I would have preferred a more detailed look at his sacred music than what we get here. Nevertheless, it is always engaging, and Bach is Bach no matter what we are hearing, always a plus.
The sound is very good, filming quite beautiful as we tour various cathedrals, and I can’t imagine a better lay introduction to the topic.
— Steven Ritter
