Friday 26 August 2011

Something elevating for you philistines

Having acquired a new hifi recently (no, not in the extreme shopping event which hit our cities), I've been playing everything which highlights fine stereo and crystal clear reproduction, which basically means a lot of 4AD and classical.

Here's a version of Thomas Tallis's Spem in Alium, a 40-part monster from the reformation period. I've actually become such a snob that I took off the King's choir version to replace it with the Chapelle du Roi recording. I like religious music when it's in Latin. Despite having a (bad) Latin A-level, I don't understand a word, so can ignore the pernicious meanings and simply revel in the stunning noises being made.

However, here's a rather wonderful version: shame there's no indication who it is, though it's very close to the Chapelle recording.



Anyway, shouldn't you be over here, asking me about your first academic job?

5 comments:

Grumpy Bob said...

Have you listened to 'Officium' by Jan Garbarek & The Hilliard Ensemble? http://tinyurl.com/3g9gwsr

The Plashing Vole said...

I have: it's the only piece of music featuring a saxophone that I actually enjoy.

Grumpy Bob said...

You don't mean...surely not...you really don't like Baker Street?

I think I particularly like the echo-y sense of space that Officium has. I also have a copy of Mnemosyne, but don't think it's as good...

R

Grumpy Bob said...

I haven't tapped into your online academia thing, because I am probably older and just as (if not more) of a cynical and jaded academic as you!

The Plashing Vole said...

Everyone else is being much more sophisticated and sensible.

Haven't heard Mnemosyne. I think saxophones were ruined for me by terrible 80s made-for-TV movies.