FRANCIS POULENC: MASS IN G, ET AL.

The loss of his companion Pierre-Octave Ferroud reawakened Poulenc’s religious faith and led him to write some glorious music, touched equally with sadness and with hope. The Sixteen perfectly convey that combination in a nuanced and faithful version of motets and other pieces that deal most directly with the themes of atonement and struggle. The Quatre motets pour un temps de pénitence are quite exquisitely handled, but everything serves as a prelude to the great Mass.

BRIAN MORTON Read the full review on Agora Classica