Track Listing

1. Miserere: Miserere Mei
2. Miserere: Et Secundum
3. Miserere: Amplius
4. Miserere: Tibi Soli
5. Miserere: Ecce Enim
6. Miserere: Asperges Me
7. Miserere: Averte Faciem
8. Miserere: Cor Mundum
9. Miserere: Danza I
10. Miserere: Quoniam Si Voluisses
11. Miserere: Tunc Acceptabis
12. Miserere: Sofferenza
13. Miserere: Tunc Imponent
14. Miserere: Danza II

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #83865 in Music
• Released on: 1999-06-22
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .19 pounds

Amazon.com
As with its predecessor, Sacred Treasures II lifts the spirits, warms the soul, and soothes the mind. With reverence, world music composer-conductor Vladimir Ivanoff invigorates the classic Holy Week psalm "Miserere," composed in the 17th century by Roman master composer Gregorio Allegori. Ivanoff extends Allegori's venerable nine-piece offering of contrition with five original tracks. In this manner, Ivanoff not only brings this astounding work to a new audience, but also builds on what has historically been the improvisational nature of the work, with Allegori's masterpiece originally modeled on that of Costanzo Festus. Recorded in a German cathedral, Ivanoff's "Metamorphoses" stars a stunning brass section, which provides near perfect balance to the extraordinary Gregorian styled harmonizing of the Onasbrück Boys Chorus. Sacred Treasures II is a magnificent feat: at once haunting, heartbreaking, and heavenly. --Paige La Grone

Customer Reviews

A Travesty
I would give it no stars if possible.

Quite apart from the hiss on some tracks, there is every reason to avoid this album if you have any interest in Allegri's music.

Allegri wrote a coherent piece of *choral* music of about 10-12 minutes. This a choppy "new ageification" of the piece with not especially notable singing which extends the piece over an entire album. Allegri's music is interspersed with modern compositions and intrumentation. Worse, all sorts of tricks are played with timing -- voices being slowed down to create heaven knows what desired effect [try track 8].

There are many other recordings of Allegri available (even of pieces other than the Miserere). Personally I would recommend the older recording by the Tallis scholars (which also have some glorious music by Palestrina.)

Get the others -- not this one
Volume I and Volume III of the Sacred Treasures CDs are marvelous -- beautiful music performed in wonderful acoustical settings. Unfortunately, this one is not of the same caliber. Instead of presenting the Allegri as it was written (for voices), each movement has an additional contemporary part with a Cornetto, an out-of-tune brass instrument. The thrills that started the pieces are destroyed by this addition. Let the music stand on its own.

Big Disappointment
I was very disappointed with this selection. I mean, who in the right mind would use a TRUMPET SOLO for a choral CD? And the soprano solo sounded like she was in some kind of physical pain. I just couldn't believe my ears. I kept listening, hoping that maybe, just maybe, the next one would be better, but no such luck. The entire disc was a disappointment.

If you are looking for a nice choral CD with pretty sopranos, I recommend the Sacred Treasures Volume 4, which I got in a hurry to help me recover from the horrors of Volume 2. I found the other volumes (the Russian chorals) to be too baritone for me.