Le Concert Spirituel, the French period-instrument ensemble, brought a sumptuous musical journey to late Renaissance Florence at the Royal Albert Hall, with Alessandro Striggio's monumental mass as the centrepiece. The mass, for 40 to 60 voices, was rediscovered in 2005 after being lost for 400 years.
The concert opened with theatrical flair as instrumentalists and singers processed on stage to a plainchant in praise of the Virgin Mary. The transition from medieval harmonies to the opulent warmth of Orazio Benevolo's Laetatus Sum signalled the riches to come.
However, the decision to perform in a closed circle on the Royal Albert Hall stage was a misstep. With only a quarter of the singers facing out and another quarter presenting their backs to most of the audience, balance became an issue, and the experience felt less immersive than intended.
Despite this, Striggio's mass worked its magic, especially in the supersized Agnus Dei and the flamboyant Osanna in Excelsis, where voices tumbled with joyful abandon. Even better were the Benevolo works, including a superb Magnificat interspersed with instrumental ensembles.
Palestrina motets played on sackbuts lent authenticity, and rarities like Domenico Massenzio's frisky female-voice Filiae Jerusalem added variety. A 40-part Striggio motet rounded off the evening with a sumptuous anticipation of paradise.
