This is one of O’Donnell’s first two CDs since he moved down the road from the Catholic cathedral in 1999. He was in his sixth year of service there before he committed any music to disc, and his training of the choir has borne fruit. At best, the choral voices are full and firm, though in solo or exposed passages the boys occasionally betray the insecurity that is more typical of lesser choirs. His predecessor Martin Neary had come from Winchester Cathedral, and Simon Preston, before him, had come from Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford. Both worked valiantly to raise the level of a choir that seemed to hold onto traditions that resisted their best efforts. Now O’Donnell may succeed. Where Cleobury filled his disc with liturgical music to fill out the Great Service, O’Donnell accomplishes the same end by using Byrd’s anthems and organ voluntaries rather than service music. The result is a more interesting musical program. This is a fine start of a new series.

FANFARE: J. F. Weber