Psalms for the Soul

Lawes, Henry;
Berkeley, Lennox;
Stanford, Charles Villiers;
Howells, Herbert;
Parry, Hubert;
Sumsion, Herbert;
Atkins, Ivor;
Bairstow, Edward C.;
Edison, Noel;
Sanders, John;
Stewart, Charles Hylton;
Walmisley, Thomas Attwood;
Willcocks, David;
Woodward, Richard

Choir of St John's, Elora

8.554823

"The performances are of the highest quality. I would guess that most of the members are young adults. The choral tone has a freshness and control that one does not usually get from older singers. The straight-toned sopranos have a seemingly effortless delivery, while the men are able to combine intensity with gentleness, as in the opening of Howells's 'like as the Hart'. Ensemble, intonation, and enunciation (so important in psalm chanting) are all excellent.

"Some choirs tend to be deliberate, even ponderous in their chanting. Sometimes this is made necessary by a highly reverberant acoustic, as in the series of psalms from St Paul's Cathedral in London (Hyperion). The chanting from the St John's choir has a propulsive flow but never sounds rushed or driven. It is exactly the sort of chanting I prefer.
The organ tone is generally dark but clear, and therefore well suited to psalm accompaniment. organist Michael Bloss sensitively varies the registration and voicing of his accompaniment to suit the character of the psalm verses. Several of the psalms are chanted without accompaniment. Many of the chants are by 20th Century composers: Charles Hylton Stewart, David Willcocks, Ivor Atkins, and a particularly eloquent specimen by choirmaster Noel Edison. There are also chants by Henry Lawes of the 17th Century, Richard Woodward of the 18th, and Thomas Attwood Walmisley of the 19th." • William Gatens, American Record Guide, April 2001

CD

Muzyka klasyczna

Naxos

07-07-2000

636943482322