Requiem in F; Mass in B flat

"The chief contrasts within the work lie in Biber's varying scheme of triple and duple metre which he deploys with skill and to great effect. The ethereal clarity of the voices of the Gabrieli Consort are wonderfully suited to this repertoire and there are many instances of almost mesmerising beauty . . . the excellence of the Gabrieli Consort voices and instrumentalists is such that this new version leap-frogs over its illustrious predecessors . . . yet over-all this new version under Paul McCreesh's direction offers greater satisfaction."
Record Review / Nicholas Anderson, BBC Music Magazine (London) / 01 January 2005

"Wonderfully blended string tone and, in the Requiem, an ethereally silver sound. The chorus is superb, singing with apt weight yet moving with agility . . . This disc provides excellent advocacy for two of Biber's stellar choral works."
Record Review / Steve Holtje, Early Music America / 01 January 2005

"The chief contrasts within the work lie in Biber's varying scheme of triple and duple metre which he deploys with skill and to great effect. The ethereal clarity of the voices of the Gabrieli Consort are wonderfully suited to this repertoire and there are many instances of almost mesmerising beauty . . . the excellence of the Gabrieli Consort voices and instrumentalists is such that this new version leap-frogs over its illustrious predecessors . . . yet over-all this new version under Paul McCreesh's direction offers greater satisfaction."
Record Review / Nicholas Anderson, BBC Music Magazine (London) / 01 January 2005

"Wonderfully blended string tone and, in the Requiem, an ethereally silver sound. The chorus is superb, singing with apt weight yet moving with agility . . . This disc provides excellent advocacy for two of Biber's stellar choral works."
Record Review / Steve Holtje, Early Music America / 01 January 2005

Paul McCreesh's grand finale for the Biber year: Together with the Gabrieli Consort & Players he has recorded "A Requiem for Biber" to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the death of HEINRICH IGNAZ FRANZ BIBER (1644 -1704).

The beautiful programme combines two sacred choral works by the great Austrian Baroque composer with pieces by other composers from the court in Salzburg and two antiphons by Orlando di Lasso. The setting of Biber's Mass ex B is interspersed with the other compositions to form a quasi-liturgical setting. The Requiem in F minor is quite a
contrast to later settings of the Requiem text. Biber hardly uses any dramatic effects but has written music richly expressive in harmony and melody, full of atmosphere, dignity and consolation.

Orlando di Lasso's ethereal "Media vita in morte sumus" brings the album to a touching conclusion.