Benjamin Britten - Hymn to the Virgin / Ars Vocalis Choir / Rafet Rudi, cond. / REMUSICA 2007

[popomatic1970]

Britten wrote some of my most beloved choral pieces. To stand in the middle of the choir and hear the beautiful harmonic blend of voices is pure magic. There's nothing like it.

[queldryk]

My Mother sang at both Britten and Peers Funerals as part of a small group called "the Suffolk Singers" and I believe that the Hymn to the Virgin was sung at both.  I am told the whole story is told in a book called "Voices by the Sea" written by Wifred Wren which I must get round to reading.

This is one piece I would have on my desert Island to ground me again

[JSC1401]

Very good.

An eight-part piece that is not easy to keep in tune.

Good pronunciation of English and of Latin.

A firm bass line and homogeneous sound. (If the sopranos sound too loud, it's probably because they're in front of the micropohne).

The tempo is rather slow/: you are able to control your breathing, but the musical line is not always guaranteed.

[d1Nonlynrct]

the sopranos need to listen to the rest of the parts to blend they are way too loud! on some parts

[d1Nonlynrct]

we are singing this in choir and we always go flat!!!!! i love this peice though

[Dulciethecat]

And Benjamin Britten was only sixteen when he wrote it, when ill in his school sanatorium! The style of this choir is not quite right for this English piece - too slow with too much vibrato, as others have said. But it is very good singing in its way.

[cinestar2]

oh we sing it now in our school choir

love love love <3

[Marmalade000000]

This is my favourite choral piece!! Benjamin Britten wrote such a beautiful piece of music! Aah, I love it so much!!!

[Nenaarisu]

I saw this performed last night with a selection of other Britten works and Gustav Holst works.

Amazing.

[beginner57]

Very beautiful and well- performed, even if I agree with Indovinelli: maybe a little too slow.Anyway, bravi!

[Indovinelli]

I don´t like it really much. I think it´s too slow and this is a song without vibrato.

i´ts a gentle song singing really careful.

But a good intonation!

[landinglight]

Agreed - although it's nice, it's a little too slow, and too much vibrato. Let the notes speak for themselves without adding in extra emotion!

[alambic1911]

I think it's good to specify that Britten composed this marvelous piece at the age of sixteen!

[electrika999]

Very beautiful. My congratulations to the winners of the 2008 Music Festival in Italy!

God bless!

NGarcia