And might I add, a perfect day for letting my mind wander.
As I write, it is raining, and ponderings about Venice usually come equipped with water, where of course the city is located. It rains a lot in Venice. There is fog and mist, contributing to the mystery.
To begin, let’s define our terms.
Venetian Vespers sees Paul McCreesh and the Gabrielis attempt to recreate a Vespers service as it might have been celebrated in St Mark’s in the mid-17th century. While Monteverdi is the most significant composer in the programme, the bulk of the disc draws on the work of his colleagues from the Venetian basilica to create a plausibly authentic service.
That’s the Gabrieli Consort & Players, and to be clear, it’s a two-disc set released in 1993. I acquired my copy a few years after that. Once or twice a year since then, this pants-down pagan feels the pull, and the listening begins.
I try to make it a time when both discs can be played all the way through, complete, just as I’d do for Quadrophenia or Tusk (i.e., two of my ......
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