Vespro di natale
Christmas vespers

"Vurdering: G (Gramophone recommends)" - "This first instalment shows Christophers and his musicians at their very finest, communicating an evangelising zeal for the music married to an obvious keeness to express words ... This promises to be a series well worthe collecting".

"Vol. 2 covers the most modern and old-fashioned compositions the elderly Monteverdi selected ... Choral refrains are supple, solos are sung eloquently and the Latin texts are communicated crispy".

"This is another fine volume in The Sixteen's survey of the Selva morale e spirituale. There is a sense of a deep familiarity with the music in this recording, a feeling of easiness with Monteverdi's harmonic and, especially, rhythmic vocabulary that lends a tripping lightness to the performances that I find very British ... And the acoustics ... seem to be absolutely right for this ravishing music".

"Vurdering: Diapason d'or".

"The main virtue of this issue is obviously the singing of La Compagnia del Madrigale ... a superb ensemble, with the wonderful Rossana Bertini as first soprano ... Their sound is beautifully focused, with just enough expression to make the best of the music without exaggerating anything [and] they are all fully inside Monteverdi's style and his music".

"This is the final volume in The Sixteen's traversal of the Selva Morale e Spirituale ... Though I confess to preferring in general a weightier sound in this repertoire, this is music that suits the group very well indeed ... Monteverdi's polyphonic heritage is here made splendidly evident ... The instrumental ensemble is excellent and there is some truly outstanding continuo work".

"The choral, small ensemble and solo singing is always as accomplished as one expects from The Sixteen but singers benefit immeasurably from the subtly supportive continuo playing".

"Marcon's 'Christmas Vespers' retains the liturgical structure of responsory, five psalms, hymn and Magnificat ... Indeed, for purely musical impact Marcon's differs from its rivals mainly by that rich, organ-boosted sound and the largish 24-strong choir ... It is worth recording that it does not have much of an actual Christmassy feel - only two pieces have texts specific to the occasion - but there is no doubt that its choice of music brings rich gifts".