Monteverdi: Vespro della Beata Vergine

There are dozens of great recordings of Monteverdi’s 1610 Vespers, but rarely has this masterpiece been performed with such freshness and alertness to detail. The group’s skill and musicality is superb—witness the singers’ impeccable interplay and sense of theatre in the jubilant “Laetatus Sum” and playful “Duo Seraphim.” Both movements are showcases for Herreweghe’s tight control of instrumental and choral blend. There’s real sensuality on display as well, the duetting male voices in “Audi Coelum” perfectly echoing each together in adoration of the Virgin Mary herself. This is a theatrical triumph that lingers long after the final plainsong has melted away.