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Signum Classics

Allegri: Miserere; Britten, Etc / Short, Filsell, Tenebrae

$19.99 Only 3 left

Details

Composer
TAVENER IRELAND RACHMANINOV
Artist
Short, Tenebrae
Format
CD
Label
Signum Classics
Released
Jan 01, 2006
Catalog #
SIGCD085
UPC
635212008522

About

I was delighted to find John Ireland’s fresh and gently ecstatic Passiontide motet had been included. The ladies of Tenebrae sing it with a marvellous sense of open-eyed wonder. The two Russian items are also most successful although I did wonder why the Rachmaninov piece was sung in English. It’s given a beautiful performance even if these English singers lack the sheer amplitude of sound that a Slavic choir would have at its disposal. The offering by Sheremetiev was completely new to me – indeed, I can’t recall hearing any music by this composer before. Now ye heavenly powers, which is sung in Russian, is for male voices. It’s described in the notes as “quietly powerful” and that’s a very apt description. The music is mainly subdued in tone and the piece has a grave beauty that’s most attractive. Even more affecting is the other Eastern European piece, Kodály’s Esti Dal. This setting of a Northern Hungarian song is a little gem. It is sung in the original language and features a lovely soprano solo, one of several solos during the course of the programme, all of which are taken excellently from within the choir’s ranks.

Britten’s Hymn to St. Cecilia is a terrifically inventive piece of music in which the composer shows real flair in his writing for unaccompanied choir, even if Auden’s text seems rather high-flown in its imagery and somewhat verbose. Tenebrae not only rise to its manifold challenges but also surmount them with ease. They are excellent too in Holst’s splendid setting of Psalm 148, receiving marvellous support from Jeremy Filsell at the organ.

But in many ways the best is saved for last. Sir William Harris’s sumptuous setting for double choir of words by Edmund Spenser is, for me, one of the glories of English church music. It moves from the rarefied celestial atmosphere of the quiet opening to the blazing conviction and excitement of the passage at “And those eternall burning Seraphims” – Tenebrae are marvellous here – before the pacific mood returns at the close. The performance of this miniature masterpiece is thrilling in every respect. Indeed, I feel that here Nigel Short and his singers come close to realising the “endlesse perfectnesse” of which Spenser speaks.

This is an outstanding disc, which I have enjoyed greatly. The sheer quality of singing has always impressed me on the previous discs I’ve heard from this choir and, indeed, when I’ve heard them live. This new release is as good as any I’ve heard from them. The engineering is excellent and the disc comes with a good booklet including full texts. Another winner from Tenebrae!

-- John Quinn, MusicWeb International

Tracklist 13 tracks

  1. 1 Song for Athene 06:11
    Track
    1
    Title
    Song for Athene
    Duration
    06:11
    Composer
    John Tavener
    Ensemble
    Tenebrae
  2. 2 Ex ore innocentium 04:05
    Track
    2
    Title
    Ex ore innocentium
    Duration
    04:05
    Composer
    John Ireland
    Ensemble
    Tenebrae
  3. 3 The Lamb 03:51
    Track
    3
    Title
    The Lamb
    Duration
    03:51
    Composer
    John Tavener
    Ensemble
    Tenebrae
  4. 4 Liturgy of St John Chrysostom, Op. 31: Hymn to the Cherubim 04:39
    Track
    4
    Title
    Liturgy of St John Chrysostom, Op. 31: Hymn to the Cherubim
    Duration
    04:39
    Composer
    Sergei Rachmaninoff
    Ensemble
    Tenebrae
  5. 5 Now ye heavenly powers 03:42
    Track
    5
    Title
    Now ye heavenly powers
    Duration
    03:42
    Composer
    Alexander Sheremetiev
    Ensemble
    Tenebrae
  6. 6 Hymn to St. Cecilia, Op. 27 10:59
    Track
    6
    Title
    Hymn to St. Cecilia, Op. 27
    Duration
    10:59
    Composer
    Benjamin Britten
    Ensemble
    Tenebrae
  7. 7 Ave Maria 03:57
    Track
    7
    Title
    Ave Maria
    Duration
    03:57
    Composer
    Paweł Łukaszewski
    Ensemble
    Tenebrae
  8. 8 Crucifixus a 8 03:39
    Track
    8
    Title
    Crucifixus a 8
    Duration
    03:39
    Composer
    Antonio Lotti
    Ensemble
    Tenebrae
  9. 9 Miserere 11:59
    Track
    9
    Title
    Miserere
    Duration
    11:59
    Composer
    Gregorio Allegri
    Ensemble
    Tenebrae
  10. 10 Esti dal (Evening Song) 03:08
    Track
    10
    Title
    Esti dal (Evening Song)
    Duration
    03:08
    Composer
    Zoltán Kodály
    Ensemble
    Tenebrae
  11. 11 The Dying Soldier (arr. N. Short) 04:34
    Track
    11
    Title
    The Dying Soldier (arr. N. Short)
    Duration
    04:34
    Composer
    Traditional
    Performer
    Matthew Brook
    Ensemble
    Tenebrae
    Conductor
    Nigel Short
  12. 12 Psalm 148: Lord who has made us for Thine own 04:53
    Track
    12
    Title
    Psalm 148: Lord who has made us for Thine own
    Duration
    04:53
    Composer
    Gustav Holst
    Ensemble
    Tenebrae
  13. 13 Faire is the Heaven 05:23
    Track
    13
    Title
    Faire is the Heaven
    Duration
    05:23
    Composer
    William Henry Harris
    Ensemble
    Tenebrae