{"id":2660,"date":"2015-11-30T10:46:51","date_gmt":"2015-11-30T10:46:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.larkreviews.co.uk\/?p=2660"},"modified":"2015-11-30T10:48:34","modified_gmt":"2015-11-30T10:48:34","slug":"cdsdvds-december-2015","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/?p=2660","title":{"rendered":"Organ and Choral CDs\/DVDs for December 2015"},"content":{"rendered":"

CHRISTMAS AT NORWICH \u2013 THE CHOIR OF NORWICH CATHEDRAL<\/strong><\/span>
\n David Dunnett, organ\u00a0 Ashley Grote, director<\/strong><\/span>
\n PRIORY\u00a0 PRCD 1148<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Christmas is coming, and so are this year\u2019s seasonal releases! From Norwich Cathedral we have a CD that should appeal to many. This programme of mostly well known carols also features a few lesser known items and some fresh arrangements by contemporary composers including Ben Parry and the cathedral\u2019s own Ashley Grote.<\/p>\n

NATUS \u2013 MUSIC FOR ADVENT, CHRISTMAS & EPIPHANY<\/strong><\/span>
\n Choirs of Blackburn Cathedral<\/strong><\/span>
\n Samuel Hudson, Director\u00a0 Shaun Turnbull, Organ<\/strong><\/span>
\n PRIORY\u00a0 PRCD 1160<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Blackburn\u2019s offering reminds us that there is a liturgical sequence that is more than just \u2018Christmas\u2019. There are a few familiar pieces here but much of this music is new to me and very refreshing. A number of contemporary composers are featured including Sally Beamish (In the stillness<\/i>), David Bednall (Tribus Miraculis<\/i>) and Martin Bussey (The Jesse Tree<\/i>). There are contributions from the boy, girl & gentlemen choristers as well as the Young People\u2019s Choir and Renaissance Singers. Two former Blackburn Musical Directors are represented \u2013 an arrangement by John Bertalot & David Cooper\u2019s Dormi Jesu<\/i>. Christopher Tambling\u2019s organ Toccata-Noel <\/i>provides a further contrast in this very interesting programme.<\/p>\n

ADVENT TO EPIPHANY<\/strong><\/span>
\n Alexander Eadon, Frobenius organ of Oundle School Chapel<\/strong><\/span>
\n PRIORY\u00a0 PRCD 1164<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

This very well constructed programme presents some exciting and musical performances of organ music for the extended season. There is nothing over familiar here but throughout there are many references to well known seasonal melodies. Opening with an arrangement of Corelli\u2019s\u00a0 Christmas Concerto, Op 6 No 8<\/i> there are also three settings by JS Bach of Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland. <\/i>The earliest composer is Titelouze and more recent works include Mark Blatchly\u2019s Three versets on Away in a manger <\/i>and Garth Edmundson\u2019s Toccata-Prelude IV: Vom Himmel hoch <\/i>which brings this excellent recital to a dramatic close.<\/p>\n

GREAT EUROPEAN ORGANS No. 97<\/strong><\/span>
\n Simon Hogan, organ of Southwell Minster<\/strong><\/span>
\n PRIORY\u00a0 PRCD 1147<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Priory\u2019s long-running series shows no sign of running out of steam. This latest volume is a very enjoyable recital of 20th<\/sup> & 21st<\/sup> Century organ music, expertly presented by the Minster\u2019s Assistant Director of Music. All of this music was new to me. Composers featured are Philip Marshall, G.T. Francis, Robert Ashfield, Neil Cox, Eric Thiman, Robert Busiakiewicz and Arthur Wills.<\/p>\n

THE COMPLETE ORGAN WORKS OF SIR GEORGE DYSON<\/strong><\/span>
\n Daniel Cook, organ of St Mary Redcliffe, Bristol<\/strong><\/span>
\n PRIORY\u00a0 PRCD 1136<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Long running series are all very well but it is good sometimes to be able to listen to the whole of one composer\u2019s output on a single disc. The organ music of the one-time Director of the Royal College of Music is expertly presented here by Daniel Cook. He plays the substantial Harrison and Harrison of St Mary Redcliffe which is well suited to this repertoire. Many of these pieces are based on familiar hymn tunes. Perhaps this recording will help to make this music more widely known and appreciated.<\/p>\n

THE COMPLETE HERBERT HOWELLS\u00a0 ANTHEMS\u00a0 VOLUME 1<\/strong><\/span>
\n Lincoln Cathedral Choir,\u00a0 Colin Walsh, organ\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Aric Prentice, Director<\/strong><\/span>
\n PRIORY\u00a0 PRCD 1119<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Another series begins with this, the first CD in a new recording of Howells\u2019 complete anthems. This is certainly a disc to return to and a great way to get to know this repertoire, much of which is not heard as often as it might be. The musicians and acoustic serve this music very well. I look forward to further releases in this series.<\/p>\n

THE CHURCH MUSIC OF JOHN SHEPPARD \u2013 THE COLLECTED VERNACULAR WORKS VOL. 2<\/strong><\/span>
\n Academia Musica Choir,\u00a0\u00a0 Aryan O. Arji, director<\/strong><\/span>
\n PRIORY\u00a0 PRCD\u00a0 1108<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

This second volume of Sheppard\u2019s English church music features The Second Service, Evening Service for Trebles, Steven Verses <\/i>and a number of anthems. Interesting music recorded in the spacious Gloucester cathedral acoustic by these very competent musicians.<\/p>\n

TAKE THE PSALM \u2013 THE CHOIR OF SOUTHWELL MINSTER<\/strong><\/span>
\n Simon Hogan, organ\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Paul Hale, director<\/strong><\/span>
\n PRIORY\u00a0 PRCD 1157<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

This, the second CD from Southwell in this batch of reviews, features the minster choir directed by the musical director alongside the Assistant Director in accompanying and solo roles. This is a very attractive programme of varied music relating to the psalms. Framed by two extended Elgar settings \u2013 Give unto the Lord <\/i>and Great is the Lord <\/i>this collection includes a further major work, SS Wesley\u2019s Ascribe unto the Lord.<\/i> Also to be found are Anglican chant and shorter works. Organ music by Howells, Andrew Fletcher and Whitlock provides additional contrast.<\/p>\n

VOICE AND VERSE \u2013 THE CHOIR OF WAKEFIELD CATHEDRAL<\/strong><\/span>
\n Simon Earl, organ\u00a0\u00a0 Thomas Moore, director<\/strong><\/span>
\n PRIORY\u00a0 PRCD 1143<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

This is an unashamedly popular collection of choral music old and new. Many familiar items are included alongside a few lesser known pieces. The disc opens and closes with majestic works by Parry \u2013 I was glad<\/i> (in its shortened form) and Blest pair of sirens<\/i>. In between are further classic choral pieces including Mozart\u2019s Ave verum <\/i>and Vauhan Williams\u2019 Let all the world in every corner sing<\/i>.\u00a0 More \u2018popular\u2019 choral music includes Andrew Lloyd Webber\u2019s Pie Jesu <\/i>and Howard Goodall\u2019s The Lord is my shepherd<\/i>. Newer works by Will Todd and Philip Wilby are also to be found as well as organ solos from Reger and Whitlock. As an introduction to the world of choral music I cannot recommend this highly enough. It will also appeal to anyone who likes a well balanced, if eclectic collection and those who love to sing along! Lovely!<\/p>\n

Stephen Page<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

CHRISTMAS AT NORWICH \u2013 THE CHOIR OF NORWICH CATHEDRAL David Dunnett, organ\u00a0 Ashley Grote, director PRIORY\u00a0 PRCD 1148 Christmas is coming, and so are this year\u2019s seasonal releases! From Norwich Cathedral we have a CD that should appeal to many. … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2660"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2660"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2660\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2663,"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2660\/revisions\/2663"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2660"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2660"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.larkreviews.wickedlemon.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2660"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}