Janacek: Glagolitic Mass / Sinfonietta

"The polished choral singing is a joy, with excellent pitching throughout, especially in the cruelly exposed unaccompanied entries. The orchestra's contribution is equally distinguished. How refreshing it is to hear such 'unhomogenised' clarinet- and trumpet-playing. The solo quartet also acquits itself favourably, in particular Christiane Libor, who is on spectacular form."
(Gramophone)

"Both pieces receive crisp, radiant and transparent performances."
(Financial Times)

Leoš Janáček's dramatic Glagolitic Mass is set to a ninth century Old Church Slavonic text. With its highly individual synthesis of thunderous brass outbursts, rhythmic energy, radiant melodies and interludes of rapt contemplation, the work has established itself as a unique contribution to the choral repertoire. An avowed statement of his belief and patriotic pride in Czechoslovakian national independence, Janáček's Sinfonietta uses spectacular large-scale orchestral forces. Both of these works belong to the composer's last and most inspired decade, and represent his mature musical language at its most communicative.