For these services texts divided into three Lessons and drawn from the Lamentations of Jeremiah were set by countless composers, among them Palestrina.

For the latest in a long line of distinguished Palestrina recordings, the Westminster Cathedral choir has turned to the third of his four extant Lamentations. Unlike the Chandos recording by Musica Contexta, there is no attempt here at a liturgical reconstruction by adding responsories, which Palestrina did not set, unlike Victoria and Gesualdo.

One does not expect from Palestrina the darkly smouldering emotions found in Victoria’s Passion works, although there is a marginally greater level of dissonance, along with modest word painting that distinguishes these settings from much of Palestrina’s music. Rather he relies on infinitely subtle contrasts of vocal texture and colour to clothe the near unremittingly sombre texts.

Thus luminescent writing for high voices is juxtaposed with the dark sonority of the tenors and basses, the many solo sections for the latter testifying to the strength of Westminster’s adult singers. The elevated tradition of the choir as a whole is maintained by the beautifully judged performance, which is above all characterised by outstanding diction and near-flawless tuning. This is music of rare beauty, music that conveys profound spirituality to the receptive listener. BRIAN ROBINS

THIRD BOOK OF LAMENTATIONS
GIOVANNI PIERLUIGI DA PALESTRINA
Martin Baker
Westminster Cathedral Choir
hyperion CDA67610
2007 - 79:16 min.