Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

Before praising this release - for it is indeed praiseworthy - we make one caveat: the recording date is 1995 which suggests it is a re-issue but our research failed to confirm this. As the CD price is close to £20 we would not want anyone to mistakenly buy something they already owned. Giuseppe Giordani (1751-1798) was a prolific composer, mainly of opera, most of which are now forgotten. He held a position as a church musical director and wrote many liturgical pieces too. The full title of this release is, in partial translation, 'The Liturgy of the Tenebrae and the 'Lamentazioni, e Miserere' of Giuseppe Giordani (Naples, 1751 - Fermo, 1798)'. The liturgy of the Tenebrae denotes the particular office of matins held during the last three days of Holy Week, a rite that is now rarely celebrated but which used to be a highlight of the musical side of Passiontide. The texts are mainly from the biblical book of Lamentations with some references from Psalms and the tone is meditative yet also strangely beautiful. Il Terzo Suono is a vocal quartet of soprano, countertenor, tenor and bass and the voices blend together very well. Accompanying them is Massimiliano Raschietti on the venerable Gaetano Collido organ (c 1790) which sounds a little breathless in places but which adds to the period charm. If you are looking for a quick comparison, Giordani at his best reminds us a little of Mozart in being tuneful and vivacious, even when contemplating the most serious of subjects, the death of our Lord and, like Bach, Giordani knows that Good Friday was not the end of the story but the beginning.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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