I Fagiolini & The English Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble – Monteverdi: The Other Vespers

The crystal clear acoustic of Glyndebourne proved to be an extraordinary place to hear this extraordinary choir and early music ensemble deliver their latest recorded collection live. The stunning precision of their performance could easily have slipped over that fine line into clinical, but not for one moment was this a sterile performance, far from it. This was, to say the least, a spirited programme that had peak after peak, soaring solos and razor sharp precision in the ensemble. The plainsong equally impressive, appropriately weighty and solemn. Presented in religious format we were asked to wait to the end of each part to show our appreciation, but after a blistering violin solo the audience erupted into applause – and who could blame them. The English Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble are masterful in their playing, solid in their support and refined in their ornamentation. The concert held the audience in near silence until the final piece, a simply beautiful tenor solo, Salve, O Regina, perfect in every sense including rapt silence at the close, respectful peace before rapturous applause. We might all have wanted an encore – but there was nothing that could have followed that moment without detracting from it.

Glyndebourne

7 May

Andrew Kay

5 stars