Title: Clemencic misfires.
Product review: Naxos deserves our gratitude for its wide and adventurous repertoire, and while I cannot be as keen as the previous reviewer about the quality of this music, I am glad to have had the chance to hear it. The big let down for me with this CD, however, is the performance, especially since I have always trusted the name Rene Clemencic as a guarantee of at least a certain level of quality. There must be a back story to explain how this fine conductor got tied to the present group of village musicians: the soloists are weak, the choir and instrumentalists uncertain. Furthermore, Clemencic's decision to double the choir parts with brass -- while it may be supported by arguments of authenticity, or it may rather have been a practical decision, given the choristers at hand -- produces a disagreeable and unbalanced texture. I would avoid this CD, unless there is a particular curiosity about this composer.
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