While countertenor has come to be the common English-language catchall term to describe men who sing in the traditional range of women, in French, Italian, German, and British traditions there are a number of more specific designations based on precise register and vocal technique, but there is surprisingly little agreement about the application of the terms to particular voices. American
Robert Crowe, a National Winner of the Metropolitan Opera Competition, describes himself as male soprano, but his repertoire includes music for a variety of voice types, including
Mozart's Cherubino and the motet Exsultate Jubilate,
Brahms' Alto Rhapsody, a number of Baroque operatic roles traditionally taken by mezzo-sopranos, and these soprano motets on sacred texts by Carissimi. He possesses an extraordinary range, extending with surprising continuity from the tenor to the soprano registers. His technique is clean and he has all the suppleness and agility to negotiate the music's coloratura demands. In those respects, his voice somewhat resembles that of
Philippe Jaroussky; while he may not have
Jaroussky's effortlessly limpid tone, his voice is larger and more penetrating. These florid mid-seventeenth century Carissimi motets have a Monteverdian sound and are an excellent showcase for
Crowe's breathtaking virtuosity.
Michael Eberth provides a chaste organ accompaniment, a part the composer keeps out of the spotlight, providing no distraction from the soloist. The sound of the SACD recording, made in a church, is nicely resonant, but clear. Occasionally, when
Crowe is singing at top volume, the sound gets a little boomy.