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“This lavishly presented reissue revives stylish, committed 1980s and '90s recordings of sacred works, including the ravishing Laudate pueri: a must for Buxtehude novices and fans! Sound is variable but acceptable.” BBC Music Magazine, April 2008 ****

“This collection of Buxtehude's church concertos (and a few other miscellaneous bits) has been hand-picked and thoughtfully researched by the outstanding German tenor Hans Jörg Mammel. Any admirers of the warm musicianship of Jean Tubéry and his ensemble La Fenice will not hesitate to investigate this. The richly exotic continuo group (including harp and theorbo) and cornetts put Buxtehude's instrumentation into glorious Technicolor (Quemadmodum desiderat cervus, for example).
When a more restrained approach to scoring is taken the results are equally sublime. For example, the effect of the solo voice, violin, viola da gamba and keyboard continuo unfurls gloriously without unnecessary additives in Singet dem Herrn.
It is not rare to hear Buxtehude's intimately scaled church music sung by sopranos, countertenors and even basses, but it seems that tenors have infrequently got in on the act. Mammel is an assured singer of intelligent quality, and, although he often sounds rooted in his baritonal chest voice, his occasional excursions upwards prove to be particularly well rounded and sweetly judged, and his agile singing is well illustrated by the tricky coloratura in Herr, nun lässtdu deinen Diener. It seems as if he has genuinely absorbed the meaning of texts and is narrating a story rather than merely singing lovely pious music. Also, full marks to Alpha for yet another lovingly prepared recording with its customary emphasis on fine artwork.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010

“The richly exotic continuo group (including harp and theorbo) and cornetts put Buxtehude's instrumentation into glorious technicolor… When a more restrained approach to scoring is taken the results are equally sublime. For example, the effect of the solo voice, violin, viola da gamba and keyboard continuo unfurls gloriously without unnecessary additives in Singet dem Herrn. Mammel is an assured singer of intelligent quality... it seems as if he had genuinely absorbed the meaning of texts and is narrating a story rather than merely singing lovely pious music.” Gramophone Magazine, December 2007

“What better way to mark the 300th anniversary of Buxtehude's death in 1707 than with this wonderful box-set? Its 77 tracks reaffirm what a central figure Buxtehude was to subsequent generations of Northern European organists working in the German Lutheran tradition.
These recordings (made between 2003 and 2006) are played on two historic Schnitger instruments in the Ludgerikirche, Norden, and the Martinkerk, Groningen, two recent organs in Hoogstraten (near Antwerp) and the German Church, Stockholm, and the reconstructed Lorentz-Frietzsch organ in Helsingor's St Maria Church, parts of which Buxtehude himself played.
The 19 organ praeludia form the core of Buxtehude's organ oeuvre and are considered his most important contributions to the 17thcentury literature. Their quasi-improvisatory flair and brilliance always sounds spontaneous, at times quite extrovert. Foccroulle wisely contrasts them with the much plainer devotional chorale settings. He teases endlessly fresh solo timbres from these striking instruments.
The variety of tuning temperaments keeps the ear alert and the playing is constantly inspiring.
The careful juxtaposition of pieces means that each disc makes a highly satisfying programme in its own right. By way of an epilogue the set concludes with the poignant Klag-Lied for organ and vocal duet. Other complete Buxtehude organ sets have clearly been superseded by this release.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010

“this release focuses on 17th-century north German psalm-settings for tenor and ensemble. If that sounds rather earnest, the idea is quickly dispelled by the opening track, Buxtehude's Dixit Dominus, delivered as a joyous clamour of voice, strings and harpsichord with a lusty bassoon adding both weight and definition. That this is a surprisingly vivid programme is partly because of the colour offer by combination of winds and strings” Gramophone Magazine, November 2011

“No criticism can be levelled at the playing of Jean Tubéry's La Fenice. Its contributions to the vocal works, whose prominent instrumental parts play a vital role in their expressive force, are supremely intelligent and refined...As customary with Alpha recordings, the sound is at once luminously clear and warm, as is the sumptuously reproduced artwork on the cover.” International Record Review, September 2011