American Choral Review Archive

When one surveys a broad, representative segment of sacred choral...

When one surveys a broad, representative segment of sacred choral music of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, two striking features immediately become apparent: the permeation of an ltalianate style and a counter-influence of styles from countries north of the Alps. The juxtaposition of northern and southern stylistic elements ultimately resulted in a fusion, and many of the foreign composers residing in Italy returned to their homelands, carrying with them new ideas that proved influential to later generations.

Henahan presents the arguments for and against vibrato in both...

Henahan presents the arguments for and against vibrato in both vocal and instrumental performance of seventeenth- and eighteenth-century music and explains that the issue takes on different meaning in different contexts. The strongly vibrating tone of a Casals or Beecham performance may deserve as much defense as the "white" vocal sound of the most austere Baroque interpretation. But where is the historical evidence- what, again, is "authentic"?

"Authenticity" has become a powerful slogan and, provided we can...

"Authenticity" has become a powerful slogan and, provided we can explain it as the idea of restoring old music to the spirit in which it was conceived, its aim is noble. What does authenticity mean in actual practice?