Two pieces which always take me somewhere better: Tallis's Spem in Alium and Allegri's Miserere.
The clip of Spem in Alium isn't brilliant - you really need full stereo and massively high volume, but you can get the idea. Ignore the pictures and the religious content. Give it the full 10 minutes - you really need to let the multiple voices (8 choirs of soprano, tenor, alto and two basses) pile up with incredible power.
Allegri's piece was originally restricted solely to the Vatican, until naughty 14-yr old Mozart memorised it and wrote it down when he got outside. It's more tranquil, though it's a sinner begging for mercy. The repeating solo soprano (first heard around 1.40) is just stunning. Sublime is the word.
3 comments:
Heh, I'll see your "Spem in Alium" and raise you a "Vadam et Circuibo"
(Stile Antico came on the radio on my commute home...sigh)
...then again, your Miserere trumps all.
Stile Antico are something really special though, possibly rivalling The Sixteen. You must have good radio stations! BBC Radio 3 is one of the best classical stations in the world, but it's the only one in the UK.
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