Pergolesi - Stabat Mater · Salve Regina / Kirkby · Bowman · AAM · Hogwood
Pergolesi - Stabat Mater · Salve Regina / Kirkby · Bowman · AAM · Hogwood is simply put it a sublime recording. Being a devout person at heart this is heartwrenching to listen to and one can feel the intense pain as one listens to this wonderful piece. Emma Kirky is truly a treat to listen to and James Bowman is also quite competent. The book-let is a bit sparse but has a very nice painting on the front, a very well written essay Francesco Degrada (translated DECCA 1989 by Avril Bardoni), and the text for these magnificient works in english, latin, german and french and has also a very nice photograph in on page 4 of Emma Kirkby, James Bowman and Christopher Hogwood. I can not say enough good things about this splendid recording and I give it 5 stars.

Simply, the best CD I own.
...in my 300 CD collection. Genius of Pergolesi, pure harmony plus excellence in Emma's voice, plus James Bowman, a countertenor singing the part of an alto. This is what baroque is about, this is what music is about.

The Best Recording I Have Heard
I have listened to at least 5 other recordings of Pergolesi's Stabat Mater and found the version by L'Oiseau-Lyre the best by far. I am a singer myself, although an amateur with experience in serious choirs such as the Academic Choir Tone Tomsic from Slovenia (won the European Grand Prix 2002 at the 14th choral competition in Arezzo, Italy) and have a preference for a clear voice with a very careful and controlled use of vibrato. This recording was the only one I could find that would fulfill my requirements. Besides, Bowman's performance is really outstanding, and you can really feel the tension (in a good sense) on those high notes. I believe that the use of countertenor brings a very special warm feeling to high notes that I was not able to find in the recordings with an alto (low female voice). It has a certain intimate touch that I certainly prefer. This recording is without a doubt a must for a serious music lover.

Stabat Mater and Salve Regina
Giovanni Battista Pergolesi was one of the most remarkable composers of the Baroque period. Despite his extremely brief career (he died of tuberculosis at 26 years of age) he left an impressive body of work that includes some of the finest pieces of sacred music ever written. Two of his most famous works (Stabat Mater for soprano and alto and Salve Regina for soprano in C minor) are included in this recording.

Emma Kirkby captures the poignancy of these pieces with outstanding ability and delivers two of her best performances ever. She's an exceptional musician - unaffected, subtle, sincere and technically flawless. James Bowman also provides a very fine performance but the Stabat Mater is more of a challenge for him and he sounds a little overwhelmed sometimes. However, the interplay between both singers is amazing. Salve Regina is an equally beautiful piece and Emma Kirkby gives another wonderful performance. Christopher Hogwood and the Academy of Ancient Music are as stunning as ever, they manage to bring freshness and immediacy to the Stabat Mater - no small feat considering the rather solemn subject matter - and the Salve Regina shines with almost preternatural beauty. Pergolesi was a very innovative and daring composer, and these renditions show his works in all their sombre and passionate glory.

An exquisite slice of heaven
I'm not sure if words are the right medium to describe the sweetness and power of this music. Play the music and step back in time, into a different world - the purity of Kirkby's voice against the somewhat unfamiliar timbre of the baroque violins makes for a truly unique sound.