Although the large box and the Sacred Works title might lead you to expect a complete collection of Tomás Luis de Victoria's sacred music, that's not what it is, and in fact some famous pieces, such as the Requiem in six parts, are not included. Instead, conductor Michael Noone lists the criteria for inclusion as follows: the collection focuses on works Victoria composed in Madrid, works that are preserved in manuscripts, works or versions of works that have never been recorded, and works involving an organ or winds, or ...
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Although the large box and the Sacred Works title might lead you to expect a complete collection of Tomás Luis de Victoria's sacred music, that's not what it is, and in fact some famous pieces, such as the Requiem in six parts, are not included. Instead, conductor Michael Noone lists the criteria for inclusion as follows: the collection focuses on works Victoria composed in Madrid, works that are preserved in manuscripts, works or versions of works that have never been recorded, and works involving an organ or winds, or written in sections that alternate with chant. That list, in turn, makes the album sound more specialized than it is; much of the music is gorgeous, and anyone interested in Renaissance polyphony can wander happily inside this box set for hours. The bottom line is that Noone and his Ensemble Plus Ultra seek to strip away from Victoria the aura of mysticism that casual listeners take away from hearing just a few of his famous masterpieces. The 90 pieces included on these ten discs (or...
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