William Byrd Vienna Vocal Consort

A true magnum opus: the Mass for Five Voices by Renaissance master William Byrd (1543-1623), in a colourfully fresh and vivid interpretation by the Vienna Vocal Consort, recorded in the heart of Vienna.

William Byrd’s pieces are milestones in music history. Even after four centuries, his music glows in elegance and bursts with energy. And its beauty is incredibly tempting. The Vienna Vocal Consort resists the temptation to simply celebrate the sound, but instead follows its own characteristic path. The goal: to reveal the core of the English composer, and to highlight the intimacy and emotional depth in his works.

The Gothic church of Maria am Gestade, one of the oldest in Vienna and close to St Stephen’s Cathedral, is the ideal environment for William Byrd’s musical richness and depth. His music still surprises today’s listener in many ways: in addition to the Mass for Five Voices, his expressive English Motets serve as a proof.

The Vienna Vocal Consort (www.vocalconsort.at) is one of the most renowned vocal groups for Early Music in Austria. Founded in 2001, the ensemble is unique in many ways. Apart from their characteristic sound, the five members provide most unusual biographies: an Italian teacher, a marine biologist, a technology journalist, a landscape architect, and Christoph Chlastak (Basso) an architect.

Byrd marks klanglogo’s first appearance with Naxos distribution, making the highly praised recording finally available for the regular market. Bavarian radio B4Klassik acclaimed Byrd as ‘CD of the week’, Austrian radio Ö1 played it as the ‘CD of the day’ and praised the colourful sound. Leipzig radio MDR called for ‘more of it, please!’

Vienna Vocal Consort

 Ö1 - CD Besprechung

„Klanglich ein Genuss!”

MDR - CD Besprechung

„Mehr davon!”

American Record Guide (3. November 2016, Joseph Magil)

“A keen-edged early music sound of great clarity and precision”