Remember Me, My Dear

Reviewed: 2019-12-02
Genre: Classical (X)
FCCs: none
Review: Who would have guessed that a British male-voice quartet and a Norwegian saxophonist would form a lasting union. It’s now 25 years since the Hilliard Ensemble and soprano saxophonist Garbarek joined forces. This disc is the fruit of their farewell tour. The wide-ranging program follows their established recipe of early, contemporary and improvised music, recorded to achieve heightened resonance, embellished with Garbarek’s poetic sax. There is no pause between tracks.
If You Like: Chanticleer, Treorchy Male Choir, Paul McCandless
Track Review (favorites denoted by *):
*1/ Ov Zarmanali (6:00) – sax/chorus starts quiet & slow, then builds in volume> chorus solo> sax solo> slow jam> quick fade
2/ Procurans Oduran (3:23) – chorus starts> slow tempo jam> pause> slow jam> fade
*3/ Alting Finns (4:00) – chorus starts with celestial voices> slow tempo jam with shifting vocals> slow fade
4/ Litany (9:00) – chorus starts like church choir> slow tempo jam> single vocal solo> slow jam> single vocal solo/duet with sax> pause> slow jam with chorus> pause> slow jam> sax solo> pause> slow jam> slow fade
**5/ Dostoino Est (3:16) – chorus starts midtempo, swings into uptempo jam with sax> chorus solo to fade
*6/ Sanctus (7:50) – chorus starts midtempo> midtempo jam> sax & choir trade passages> midtempo jam> quick fade
7/ Most Holy Mother Of God (4:11) – chorus solo slow & hesitating> slow fade
*8/ Prosedentum Sponsum (4:17) – chorus starts slow> slow tempo jam> fade
9/ Se Je Fayz Deuil (6:17) – chorus starts slow, swings to midtempo> midtempo jam> fade
**10/ Alleluia Nativitas (5:09) – chorus starts slow, swings into uptempo jam with soaring vocals> pause> uptempo choral solo> uptempo jam> quick fade on vocal
*11/ O Ignis Spiritus (7:29) – chorus starts slow & deep with alto highlights> slow tempo jam> slow fade
12/ We Are The Stars (5:19) – chorus starts slow> slow tempo jam> pause> sax solo> chorus solo> slow jam> slow fade
*13/ Agnus Dei (6:10) – chorus starts slow> slow tempo jam with soaring vocals> slow fade
*14/ Remember Me. My Dear (6:15) – chorus starts slow> slow tempo jam> slow fade