Customer Rating: 
Summary: Lovely Performance
Comment: this is a lovely performance with a boy choir singing the soprano part, giving a very light top end to the music.
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Good points far outweigh some minor deficiencies
Comment: This whole set is gorgeous (although the second cd gets a bit tediuos unless you really like early music), and Emma Kirkby has one the most beautiful, distinctive soprano voices I have ever heard, one can't help but like her, but hard-core critics beware, her intonation is not flawless, especially in the "Alleluia" of the "Nulla in Mundo" cycle, one can hear her go off on some of the high notes. Like I said, it's beautiful, but that does bother me personally every time I listen to that track. But buy it anyway.
Customer Rating:
Summary: More of Emma Please
Comment: I would have given this CD 5 stars if Emma Kirkby had sung all of the cantatas on Disc 2. Unfortunately, most of the cantatas on this disc are sung by Catherine Bott, who in my musically illiterate opinion, sounds more like a mezzo-soprano than a true soprano. Kirkby on the other hand is a legend in early music and brings her trademark "purity of sound" to this recording. The gorgeous duet she sings with Judith Nelson on disc 1 is alone worth the price of this set (that's probably a slight exaggeration, but it's pretty damn good anyway).Getting away from Kirkby a sec, the Gloria on CD 1 is indeed glorious. The choral movements are sharp and lively, having that quality of all good choirs of sounding not quite of this earth. Listening to this CD after a couple of beers, you could be forgiven for thinking that your house has been invaded by cherubim and seraphim.
I'm not a huge fan of counter tenors (probably something to do with feeling threatened about my latent homosexuality or being emasculated) so I can't really provide any worthwhile comments about the Nisi Dominus which is a showcase of James Bowman's skills. Bowman has pretty impressive credentials, so I'm not about to get stuck into him. Suffice to say, I usually skip thru tracks 13-18 on disc 1.
Customer Rating:
Summary: amazingly beautiful
Comment: This CD is worth buying just for "Nulla in mundo pax sincera." This is one of the most beautiful vivaldi motets and is simply heavenly. I absoluterly love it!
Customer Rating:
Summary: Glorious cantatas on the second CD
Comment: For once the 5 stars are worth it. The choral works on disc 1 are masterful benchmark interpretations of the pick of Vivaldi's sacred output. What makes it a real bargain however is the second disc of cantatas - one of Emma Kirkby and Catherine Bott's finest achievements on the old L'Oiseau Lyre label. Couple this with full texts and an intelligent booklet. Wonderful!
