Reviews

Reviews: Monteverdi Vespers of 1610

04.09.2010

NRC Handelsblad, 26.08.10, Jochem Valkenburg:
“Unique Monteverdi Vespers against Roman backdrop”

“(...) Conductor Mike Fentross led the Nederlands Kamerkoor and the instrumentalists of La Sfera Armoniosa through the work with a clear beat, in the process keeping the music always lively, with the occasional subtle accelerando or crescendo. [...] In the many solos and duets the choir members for the most part made a good impression, for instance in the expressively sung ‘Audi coelum’ and the beautiful ‘Duo Seraphim’ – exciting till the very last note.”

Dagblad De Limburger, 27.08.10, Wim Hekking:
“Monteverdi Vespers are given a top-class performance in jubilee year”

“The first thing to strike the listener was the beautiful overall sound of the Nederlands Kamerkoor: velvety and stirringly expressive. [...] The performance conducted by Mike Fentross was a festive occasion. [...] And in the final part, the magisterial Magnificat, this performance possessed a particularly touching beauty.”

De Volkskrant, 28.08.10, Guido van Oorschot:
“A single voice would just suddenly flare up: bright, vivid, sometimes whimsically ornamented”

“Mike Fentross favoured the multicoloured approach. The trombones, gambas and organ produced an almost growling sound in the Deus in adiutorium. The conductor elicited rhythmic thrust from robustly pronounced consonants. Sometimes the colour would fade within a single chord. [...] Fentross illuminated the score in a way that rivalled Caravaggio. Out of a dark texture a single voice would just suddenly flare up: bright, vivid, sometimes also whimsically ornamented. This approach of his did challenge the reflexes of some choir members, for whom, after all, blending into the group is second nature. But the ideal, totally versatile choir member did nevertheless turn out to exist. His name is Jasper Schweppe, he is a high baritone, and in the echo section Audi coelum he furnished resounding(!) proof of this.”