I feel a bit as if I'm in the Naughty Corner. Haven't been in here before.

I just finished spending the equivalent of one third of the month's housekeeping on a book of songs (published) by Susato. I may have to give up time online now to go busking in town. I suppose I should take comfort from the thought that quite a few of the songs focus on impecuniary worries.

An assortment of entertaining 4-part songs for the more educated Dutch families and nobles.

Can someone recommend a recording of the Monteverdi Vespers?

I'll wait patiently ...

I've always found the Gardiner too fast and not up to his usual standards, strangely given that this is supposedly such a key work for him. I've only heard the McCreesh once but I remember not being that keen on some of the singing (not a very helpful comment I know).

Harnoncourt (1966) also has the Magnificat at high pitch and all kinds of no-longer-very-"authentic"-sounding instrumental obbligati all over the place, but I love it.

Alessandrini (2004) is my current favourite: it has a small and cohesive vocal ensemble, fine instrumentalists, much intensity and a low-pitched Magnificat. Whereas most ensembles coming to the piece do so through experience in church music, Alessandrini's ensemble had performed and recorded almost all of Monteverdi's madrigals before arriving at the Vespers, and the result is as you might expect both expressive and intimate.

Thank you one and all for your feedback. Hmm. Prior to posting I was originally drawn to the Gardiner, although now you've mentioned the Gabrieli, strina, I think that bears investigating. Perhaps the River people have a snatch? (although I realise that method hardly tells the full story).

Stanley, indeed, you put your case most  convincingly on 'House of the Dead' My main hesitancy would be that the sound reproduction I have here for DVD would not do it justice - fine for dialogue but music is just drained of the finer points

The Savall is not bad for the most part although there's a somewhat jarring microtonal modulation between the opening bit of plainsong and the chorus which follows it, suggesting that they weren't recorded in that order. I haven't listened to it more than once or twice since the Alessandrini was released.

For what it's worth: as far as the Vespers go I'm still loyal to Parrott for some reason even though no one else seems to like it much and it's not difficult to pick it to bits on any number of grounds. It's certainly relatively cool as readings go although I don't find any heat really necessary here beyond what Monteverdi put there. For me Kirkby is at her very finest and Rogers is also still very fine although traces of manneredness were appearing even then. Otherwise not many of the voices are all that distinguished but there are enough of them who can get round the coloratura really convincingly and for me there's a sense of ensemble which I haven't yet found anywhere else. I've flirted with many other recordings of course (notably Gardiner on DG, McCreesh, Alessandrini) but that's the one I come back to.

I do find the Masterpiece status of the piece gets in the way of so many recordings in a way that doesn't happen with Selva morale e spirituale for example - people don't seem to be able to approach it really freshly. Bit like the St Matthew...

I would certainly recommend trying the McCreesh before making the financial commitment - I didn't personally feel it lived up to the best things he's done in that repertoire (such as the Venetian Vespers compilation or of course the Venetian Coronation one). In fact, Mort, if you want to try it you're more than welcome to mine...