Notes and Editorial Reviews
This selection features both ADD and DDD recordings.
Throughout the ages, one of the most effective means of expressing faith and devotion has been through communal singing, and many composers of note have written a religious work for multiple voices. This double-disc set offers 35 of the most well known and beloved sacred choruses as performed by world-renowned artists. It's a varied collection that spans over 400 years of compositions and covers a multitude of styles and genres.
The selections range from unaccompanied motets and anthems of the Renaissance by Thomas Tallis and William Byrd to majestic opuses from masters of the Baroque (including Bach, Vivaldi, Handel, and Purcell), to the glorious compositions of Haydn, Mozart, and
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Beethoven. Also included are works for voice by 20th century composers such as Ralph Vaughan Williams, John Tavener, and John Rutter. The album boasts an impressive roster of performers and ensembles, including luminaries Sir Neville Mariner, the Choir of King's College, Philip Langridge, Carol Vaness, the Winchester Cathedral Choir, James Morris, and Ricardo Muti. This well-conceived set also includes excellent liner notes that provide valuable background information on the selected works. Read less
Works on This Recording
1.
Gloria in D major, RV 589: Gloria in excelsis Deo by Antonio Vivaldi
Conductor:
Sir Neville Marriner
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields,
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Chorus
Period: Baroque
Written: Venice, Italy
Length: 2 Minutes 22 Secs.
2.
Ave verum corpus in D major, K 618 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Conductor:
Riccardo Muti
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra,
Stockholm Chamber Choir,
Swedish Radio Chorus
Period: Classical
Written: 1791; Austria
Length: 3 Minutes 22 Secs.
3.
Elijah, Op. 70: And then shall your light break forth by Felix Mendelssohn
Conductor:
Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos
Orchestra/Ensemble:
New Philharmonia Orchestra,
New Philharmonia Chorus
Period: Romantic
Written: 1846-1847; Germany
Length: 3 Minutes 16 Secs.
4.
If ye love me by Thomas Tallis
Conductor:
Sir Philip Ledger
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Cambridge King's College Choir
Period: Renaissance
Written: 16th Century; England
Length: 2 Minutes 25 Secs.
5.
Christus am Ölberge, Op. 85: Hallelujah by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer:
Nicolai Gedda (Tenor)
Conductor:
Volker Wangenheim
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Beethovenhalle Orchestra,
Bonn Opera Chorus
Period: Classical
Written: 1803-1804; Vienna, Austria
Length: 4 Minutes 49 Secs.
6.
Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, BWV 147: Jesu bleibet meine Freude "Jesu, joy of man's desiring" by Johann Sebastian Bach
Conductor:
Sir David Willcocks
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields,
Cambridge King's College Choir
Period: Baroque
Written: 1723; Leipzig, Germany
Length: 3 Minutes 29 Secs.
7.
The Creation, H 21 no 2: The heavens are telling by Franz Joseph Haydn
Performer:
Philip Langridge (Tenor),
David Thomas (Bass),
Arleen Augér (Soprano)
Conductor:
Simon Rattle
Orchestra/Ensemble:
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra,
City of Birmingham Choir
Period: Classical
Written: 1796-1798; Vienna, Austria
Length: 3 Minutes 33 Secs.
8.
Panis angelicus by César Franck
Conductor:
Maurice Handford
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Hallé Orchestra,
Hallé Orchestra Chorus
Period: Romantic
Written: 1872; France
Length: 4 Minutes 53 Secs.
9.
Ave verum corpus by William Byrd
Conductor:
Sir David Willcocks
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Cambridge King's College Choir
Period: Renaissance
Written: by 1605; England
Length: 4 Minutes 36 Secs.
10.
German Requiem, Op. 45: Wie lieblich sind deine Wohnungen by Johannes Brahms
Conductor:
Klaus Tennstedt
Orchestra/Ensemble:
BBC Symphony Chorus,
London Philharmonic Orchestra,
London Philharmonic Choir
Period: Romantic
Written: 1854-1868; Austria
Length: 6 Minutes 8 Secs.
11.
Miserere mei Deus: Miserere mei by Gregorio Allegri
Performer:
Gerald Finley (Baritone),
Timothy Beasley-Murray (Treble)
Conductor:
Stephen Cleobury
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Cambridge King's College Choir
Period: Baroque
Written: 17th Century; Italy
Length: 5 Minutes 45 Secs.
12.
Messiah, HWV 56: Amen by George Frideric Handel
Conductor:
Hans-Rainer Förster
Orchestra/Ensemble:
St. Hedwig's Cathedral Choir,
Berlin Symphony Orchestra
Period: Baroque
Written: 1742; London, England
Length: 1 Minutes 36 Secs.
13.
How lovely are the messengers by Felix Mendelssohn
Conductor:
Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Düsseldorf Symphony Orchestra,
Dusseldorf Robert Schumann Hochschule Choir,
Wuppertaler Kurrende Boys' Choir
Period: Romantic
Written: Germany
Length: 3 Minutes 41 Secs.
14.
Messiah, HWV 56: For unto us a child is born by George Frideric Handel
Conductor:
Sir Charles Mackerras
Orchestra/Ensemble:
English Chamber Orchestra,
Ambrosian Singers
Period: Baroque
Written: 1742; London, England
Length: 4 Minutes 17 Secs.
15.
Lacrimoso son' io, K 555 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Conductor:
Franz Welser-Möst
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Philharmonic Orchestra,
London Philharmonic Choir
Period: Classical
Written: 1788; Vienna, Austria
Length: 2 Minutes 53 Secs.
16.
Laudate Dominum by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer:
Edda Moser (Soprano)
Conductor:
Eugen Jochum
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra,
Bavarian Radio Chorus
Period: Classical
Written: Austria
Length: 5 Minutes 5 Secs.
17.
Messiah, HWV 56: Hallelujah! by George Frideric Handel
Conductor:
Sir Charles Mackerras
Orchestra/Ensemble:
English Chamber Orchestra,
Ambrosian Singers
Period: Baroque
Written: 1742; London, England
Length: 4 Minutes 2 Secs.
18.
Coronation Anthems (4): no 1, HWV 258 "Zadok the priest" by George Frideric Handel
Conductor:
Yehudi Menuhin
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Ambrosian Singers,
Menuhin Festival Orchestra
Period: Baroque
Written: 1727; London, England
Length: 5 Minutes 41 Secs.
19.
Sanctus by Charles Gounod
Performer:
Laurence Dale (Tenor)
Conductor:
Georges Prêtre
Orchestra/Ensemble:
French National Radio Orchestra,
French National Radio Chorus
Period: Romantic
Written: France
Length: 5 Minutes 30 Secs.
20.
Elijah, Op. 70: He, watching over Israel by Felix Mendelssohn
Conductor:
Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos
Orchestra/Ensemble:
New Philharmonia Orchestra,
New Philharmonia Chorus
Period: Romantic
Written: 1846-1847; Germany
Length: 3 Minutes 54 Secs.
21.
Saint Matthew Passion, BWV 244: no 63, O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden by Johann Sebastian Bach
Conductor:
Sir David Willcocks
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Cambridge King's College Choir
Period: Baroque
Written: ?1727; Leipzig, Germany
Length: 2 Minutes 41 Secs.
22.
Judas Maccabaeus, HWV 63: See the conqu'ring hero comes by George Frideric Handel
Performer:
Tom Williamson (Organ)
Conductor:
Stephen Cleobury
Orchestra/Ensemble:
The Wallace Collection,
Cambridge King's College Choir
Period: Baroque
Written: 1747; London, England
Length: 2 Minutes 56 Secs.
23.
Ave Maria by Sergei Rachmaninov
Conductor:
Stephen Cleobury
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Cambridge King's College Choir
Period: Romantic
Written: Russia
Length: 2 Minutes 53 Secs.
24.
Mass in B flat major, H 22 no 13 "Schöpfungmesse": Gloria by Franz Joseph Haydn
Performer:
Keith Lewis (Tenor),
Doris Soffel (Alto),
Petteri Salomaa (Bass),
Carol Vaness (Soprano)
Conductor:
Sir Neville Marriner
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Leipzig Radio Chorus,
Dresden Staatskapelle
Period: Classical
Written: 1801; Vienna, Austria
Length: 8 Minutes 53 Secs.
25.
God so Loved the World by John Stainer
Conductor:
Barry Rose
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Guildford Cathedral Choir
Length: 3 Minutes 38 Secs.
26.
Rejoice in the Lord Alway, Z 49 "Bell Anthem" by Henry Purcell
Performer:
Andrew King (Tenor),
Michael Cockerham (Alto),
Nicholas Hayes (Bass)
Conductor:
Sir Philip Ledger
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields,
Cambridge King's College Choir
Period: Baroque
Written: circa 1682-1685; England
Length: 8 Minutes 8 Secs.
27.
I was glad by Charles Hubert Parry
Conductor:
Sir Philip Ledger
Orchestra/Ensemble:
New Philharmonia Orchestra,
Cambridge University Music Society,
Royal Military School of Music Band
...
Period: Romantic
Written: 1902; England
Length: 6 Minutes 45 Secs.
28.
O taste and see by Ralph Vaughan Williams
Performer:
Ivan Sharpe (Treble),
James Lancelot (Organ)
Conductor:
Martin Neary
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Winchester Cathedral Choir
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1953; England
Length: 1 Minutes 40 Secs.
29.
O clap your hands by Ralph Vaughan Williams
Conductor:
Sir David Willcocks
Orchestra/Ensemble:
English Chamber Orchestra,
Cambridge King's College Choir
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1921; England
Length: 3 Minutes 10 Secs.
30.
Old Hundredth Psalm Tune by Ralph Vaughan Williams
Performer:
John Wallace (Trumpet),
Benjamin Bayl (Organ)
Conductor:
Stephen Cleobury
Orchestra/Ensemble:
The Wallace Collection,
Cambridge King's College Choir
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1953; England
Length: 4 Minutes 52 Secs.
31.
Symphony no 9 in D minor, Op. 125 "Choral": 4th movement, Finale - Ode to Joy by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer:
James Morris (Bass)
Conductor:
Riccardo Muti
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Westminster Abbey Choir,
Philadelphia Orchestra
Period: Classical
Written: 1822-1824; Vienna, Austria
Length: 3 Minutes 19 Secs.
32.
A Gaelic Blessing by John Rutter
Performer:
Andrew Lucas (Organ)
Conductor:
John Scott
Orchestra/Ensemble:
City of London Sinfonia,
St. Paul's Cathedral Choir
Period: 20th Century
Written: England
Length: 1 Minutes 48 Secs.
33.
Magnificat in D major, BWV 243: Magnificat by Johann Sebastian Bach
Conductor:
Sir Neville Marriner
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields,
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Chorus
Period: Baroque
Written: circa 1728-1731; Leipzig, Germany
Length: 2 Minutes 39 Secs.
34.
Song for Athene by John Tavener
Conductor:
David Hill
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Winchester Cathedral Choir
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1993; England
Length: 6 Minutes 5 Secs.
35.
Thou know'st, Lord, the secrets of our hearts, Z 58c by Henry Purcell
Conductor:
Sir Philip Ledger
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Philip Jones Brass Ensemble,
Cambridge King's College Choir
Period: Baroque
Written: 1695; England
Length: 2 Minutes 19 Secs.
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