More jazz than not.(THE MUSIC)

Copland: Motets; Durufle: Gregorian Motets; Messiaen; O sacrum convivium; Tallis: O sacrum convivium; Tavener: Song for Athene; Vaughan Williams: Mass in G Minor Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chamber Chorus/Norman Mackenzie (Telarc SACD 60654)

All of the music on this beautifully performed and recorded release is religious music, but music lovers and audiophiles should find this an enjoyable and rewarding release even if they are not devout believers. The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chamber Chorus ranges in size from about 40 to 60 voices, depending on repertoire, and can sound big or small depending on the demands of the music.

I have long been a fan of Vaughan Williams's Mass in G Minor. Although Vaughan Williams professed agnosticism, much of his music expresses emotion and longing that sound as though they must have religious underpinnings. His Mass often gets paired with other English religious pieces, such as the Howells Requiem; it is interesting to have it included on a disc with several other pieces, and I particularly enjoy the way the producers framed to program by beginning and ending with a modern and historical setting of the same text, O sacrum convivium. All in all, this is a wonderful recording that I recommend quite highly.

Golijov: Ayre; Berio: Folk Songs Dawn Upshaw, soprano/The Andalucian Dogs (Deutsche Grammophon B0004782-02)

This is another of those recordings that I simply loathed upon first hearing. It just sounded awful to me, all wailing and straining for effect. What had they done to the beautiful voice of Dawn Upshaw?

Fortunately, I let my feelings simmer for a while, then tried the recording again. And again. Soon, I was hooked--this is a delightful recording of energetic music. Yes, the music by Golijov does vary all over the place, from Arabic- to Spanish- to simply crazy-sounding, but as you come to hear how much fun Ms. Upshaw is having singing this stuff, you begin to have fun listening to it. The music by Berio is more straightforward, but not without its strangeness quotient; strange also it was to realize how much the voice of Ms. Upshaw sounded in places like that of Judy Collins. Who'da thunk it?

No, this is not music for the faint of heart, I would estimate that at least 90% of those reading this review would hate it. Not just dislike it, but HATE it! So, no, I am not recommending this to everyone--only to a few of you. You know who you are.