Reviewed by Steven Whitehead

The two CDs in this bargain box show both sides of Accentus. 'Transcriptions 2' from 2006 not surprisingly continues where 2003's Volume 1 left off. We reviewed Volume 1 and enjoyed it although, like Volume 2, it is not predominantly or explicitly Christian. The singing, a cappella throughout, is stunning and shows Accentus as one of the top vocal chamber groups in the world. The Mendelssohn disc may be of greater interest. It feels closer to the Brahms Requiem CD we reviewed in 2004 as it is not a cappella, here using the Ensemble Orchestral de Paris and has more space for vocal soloists, namely Sandrine Piau (soprano), Markus Butter (baritone) and Robert Getchell (tenor). "Christus" is the title given by Felix Mendelssohn's brother Paul to fragments of an unfinished oratorio by Felix that was first published posthumously as his Opus 97. The completed portions include a tenor recitative relating Christ's birth, two choruses in German which could be translated as "Where Is The Newborn", and "There Shall A Star From Jacob Shine Forth" as well as a Passion section ending with another chorale, "O Welt, Sieh' Hier Dein Leben". The fragments make an interesting whole and this reviewer would be interested to hear it performed live. The impression is certainly different to the more intimate 'Transcriptions' and the two discs together make a compelling case for the versatility of Lawrence Equilbey and Accentus. Even if you already own one of the two discs the bargain price of this box set means you should not be deterred from buying it.

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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