The sprightly tempo and clean semiquavers of the famous Vivaldi Gloria give instant reassurance just where it is needed. The jig-like movement adopted for the Bach (“Jesu, joy of man’s desiring”) disowns sentimentality. The “Hallelujah” chorus, at 3'17'', may well as far as my researches have gone be the fastest ever. No especial merit lies in that, and it may indeed be considered that the contrapuntal pages sound a trifle manic. But at least these early tracks in the programme show that this is not to be a recital specializing in holy sweetmeats. When the tempo relaxes and calm prevails it is with Mozart. The motets by Liszt are rarities, and the “Amen” chorus from Rossini’s Stabat mater makes possibly the strongest impression of all as it is such a vigorous, well-sustained piece of writing, the longest individual item and at no point outstaying its welcome. After that there is perhaps some falling-off in musical interest, and Faure’s “In paradisum” forfeits some of its effectiveness, and essential identity, without the rest of the Requiem behind it.
That strikes me as the least satisfactory as recorded sound, for the choir have apparently taken up some remote place of residence. Otherwise the quality is good, Chung’s fast speeds being achieved without loss of clarity, even in the Verdi Sanctus. The choir seems well stocked with fine voices, and, though the sopranos’ intonation is somewhat ambiguous in the Messiaen, appears also to be a well-disciplined body of singers. The orchestral playing is precise and sensitive. So that leaves the soloists. Bartoli sings with warmth of tone, especially in the Mozart “Alleluia”. Bocelli, the subject of some interest at present, appears in only one item (Bizet’s Agnus Dei) and then only about half-way through. At the start his voice sounds well, with an attractive individuality of timbre, but one wonders why there is not more of him on the record. One wonders slightly, too, about the title. Did it occur to somebody that “Hail true” has a certain incompleteness about it? And could it by any chance have been supposed that the linguistic status of “verum” corresponded to that of “Maria” in a similar context?'