Howells, Herbert

Average customer rating:

the "best" of the best group ever

Lux Aurumque

Manufacturer: Gothic Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Christmas With the Dale Warland Singers

ASIN: B000NVIXNW
Release Date: 2007-05-08

Tracks:

Of Thy Mystical Supper, Op.58, No.7
A Prayer Of The Middle Ages
O Sacrum Convivium
Take Him, Earth, For Cherishing
Salvation Is Created, Op.25, No.5
Hymn To the Creator Of Light
O Magnum Mysterium
Lux Aurumque
Ave Maria
Complete This Work
We Hymn Thee
To God 'In Memorian M.B.'
Our Father

Album Description

"The Dale Warland Singers' intonation and clarity of choral texture do nothing less than amaze." -- American Choral Catalog

"Outstanding ensemble singing, highlighted by lovely legatos and unisons and by consistently sensitive sectional and group balances." -- ClassicsToday

"The seamless blend and rich sound of what is probably America's best chorus is on display." -- Seattle Weekly

The sequel to their beloved Cathedral Classics CD. Includes Morten Lauridsen's enormously popular O Magnum Mysterium. The program is a collection of cathedral masterpieces from various countries--Germany, England, Russia, Latvia, Russia, and the US. The final Dale Warland Singers CD recording before their disbandment in 2004. Within its first month, the Dale Warland Singers' previous release on Gothic (Harvest Home) became the label's best-selling CD ever, and hit Billboard's Top 20 Classical Chart. Based in Minneapolis/St. Paul, the group was recognized as one of the world's foremost a cappella choral ensembles. This forty-voice professional choir recently celebrated its thirty-first, and final, season of concerts, tours, radio broadcasts, and critically acclaimed recordings following the retirement of founder and director Dale Warland.

Customer Reviews:

the "best" of the best group ever.......2007-06-15

This final recording of America's finest chorale group ever (my apolgies to Shaw and Wagner)and brings a fitting close to their impressive recording history. A follow-up to their original Catherdral Classics CD, a best seller, this CD has something for everyone. Tons of Russian work done with impecable intonation, and spectacular performances of newer 20th and 21st century composers. Highlights most certainly are John Rutter's "Hymn to the Creator of Light" and 35 year-old Eric Whitaker's "Lux Auremque". Both are performed with reverence and delicacy reminding the listener that this is singing from the heart by professionals at the top of their game. Bravo, Dr. Warland....

Average customer rating:

IMPRESSED
St. Paul's Cathedral ImpressiveCollection of Anglican Hymns
Excellent Cathedral Organ & Choral
LACK OF DICTION?!!!
Marred by lack of diction

The Music of St. Paul's Cathedral

Manufacturer: Hyperion UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Praise to the Lord - Hymns From St. Paul's Cathedral
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ASIN: B00004U2KC
Release Date: 2000-08-15

Customer Reviews:

IMPRESSED.......2007-05-21

AS A FIRST TIME BUYER AT AMAZON,I AM IMPRESSED AT THE QUALITY OF CD AND TIME OF SERVICE

St. Paul's Cathedral ImpressiveCollection of Anglican Hymns.......2007-01-24

St. Paul's Cathdral is the second largest cathedral church in the basilican style, exceeded only by St. Peter's Rome. New York City's St. John the Divine is larger than St. Paul's, but with decidely gothic elements. All three cathedrals have fine choirs, but St. Paul's and St. John's continue the noble and unique sound of boys and men in the English tradition. St. Paul's great organ is one of the world's finest, with a decay of seven seconds. The great hymns are all here, conducted by John Scott, only recently appointed organist of St. Thomas' Church, Fifth Avenue, New York City. This is a recording will a be prized addition to your library of choral music. You will not be disappointed.

Excellent Cathedral Organ & Choral .......2006-02-24

This selection of recordings by The Choir of St. Paul's Cathedral contains pieces representative of traditional Anglican musical liturgy. The technical aspects of this production on compact disk seem to be outstanding, but beware that the original recordings were in some cases less than stellar. Another reviewer points out that on some tracks the lyrics sung by the choir are overwhelmed by the superb organ playing, which no doubt occurred due to inadequate microphone placement during the recording sessions. That said, I nevertheless rate this presentation of the St. Paul's Choir highly. It provides a mixture of musical types. In addition to the choir, the CD presents the work of four organists, including a marvelous organ solo, as well as several pieces sung a cappella by the choir and its boy treble soloists. I especially recommend this choir's rendetion of Gregorio Allegri's "Miserere," which features the voices of two boy trebles, a boy alto and a bass, which yeilds a mesmerizing experience. Unless one is acquiring full sets of the St. Paul's Choir's music, this compact disk should delight anyone interested in traditional cathedral organ and choral music.

LACK OF DICTION?!!!.......2003-11-12

Obviously the individual who wrote the review including the "marred by lack of diction" remark is not too familiar with the traditional boychoir sound. I am moved to sickness that they were so openly compared with the sound of the all-too-familiar MTC. THOSE WERE ADULTS!!! These are boys! Boys cannot give the kind of sound of the MTC because their voices are not developed enough. The greatest hope a boychoir has of wowing audiences is in their contrast in dynamics. They model this beautiffully in their acapella pieces. In their accompanied pieces, I feel they hold their own above the (sometimes blearing) organ.
Know the genre a little better before you slander a great performance.

Marred by lack of diction.......2003-04-22

The singing is beautiful, melodious and full of harmony. The organ would make Bach proud.

But the lyrics do not stand out. In fact, they are obliterated by the surrounding melodies.

I hate to do this, but I am comparing with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. These little boys would learn from them.

Tracks:

Music Of The Latin Rite: Ave Maria
Music Of The Latin Rite: Loquebantur variis linguis
Music Of The Latin Rite: Miserere mei
Haec dies
Music Of The Latin Rite: Ave verum corpus
Music Of The Reformation: If Ye Love Me
Music Of The Reformation: Hide Not Thou Thy Face
Music Of The Reformation: Lord, For Thy Tender Mercy's Sake
Music Of The Reformation: O Clap Your Hands
Music Of The Reformation: Bow Thine Ear
Music Of The Reformation: Hosanna To The Son Of David
Music Of The Restoration: Lord, How Long Wilt Thou Be Angry
Music Of The Restoration: Thou Knowest, Lord
Music Of The Restoration: Hear My Prayer, O Lord
The Anglican Revival And The Twentieth Century: Beati quorum via
The Anglican Revival And The Twentieth Century: This Joyful Eastertide
The Anglican Revival And The Twentieth Century: Sing Lullaby
The Anglican Revival And The Twentieth Century: A Spotless Rose
The Anglican Revival And The Twentieth Century: What Cheer?
The Anglican Revival And The Twentieth Century: O Taste And See
The Anglican Revival And The Twentieth Century: A Hymn To The Virgin
The Anglican Revival And The Twentieth Century: Jesus Christ The Apple Tree
The Anglican Revival And The Twentieth Century: Faire Is The Heaven
Anthems And Introits: Rejoice In The Lord
Anthems And Introits: Remember Not, Lord, Our Offences
Anthems And Introits: Come, Let's Rejoice
Anthems And Introits: When David Heard
Anthems And Introits: I Sat Down Under His Shadow
Anthems And Introits: These Are They That Follow The Lamb
Latin Motets: Christe Jesu, pastor bone
Latin Motets: O beatum et sacrosanctum diem
Latin Motets: Nunc dimittis
Latin Motets: O vos omnes
Latin Motets: Factum est silentium
Latin Motets: Justorum animae
Settings Of Hymns And Other Poetry: Hail, Gladdening Light
Settings Of Hymns And Other Poetry: A Hymn To The Mother Of God
Settings Of Hymns And Other Poetry: Hymn For The Dormition Of The Mother Of God
Settings Of Hymns And Other Poetry: They Are At Rest
Settings Of Hymns And Other Poetry: A Litany
Settings Of Hymns And Other Poetry: Nolo mortem peccatoris
Settings Of Hymns And Other Poetry: O nata lux
Settings Of Hymns And Other Poetry: Loving Shepherd Of Thy Sheep
Prayer Settings: The Lord's Prayer
Prayer Settings: In manus tuas
Prayer Settings: Bring Us, O Lord God

Customer Reviews:

My favorite album. English church music at its finest........2005-10-06

Whether you have a couple dozen albums of English choral music or whether you're looking for an introduction to English choral music, this two CD collection is a must. Here you will find a wide selection of sacred favorites, from Gregorian chant to Ralph Vaughan Williams. It's a misnomer to call it "Anglican," since this would exclude (in addition to, of course, the pre-Reformation Latin hymns) the likes of Thomas Tallis and William Byrd -- both Catholics that kept to the ancient faith despite Elizabeth's (albeit relatively mild) persecutions. Tallis and Byrd set the standard in the 16th century for the distinctive "Englishness" (as opposed to Continental European) style of English choral music, with its soaring majesty yet somehow coupled with a subtle and sustained beauty (as opposed to the Continental ups and downs and often tiresome exaggerations). For those of us in the English-speaking world, this is our heritage. Let's treasure it. As for the recording itself, the mixing is superb. While listening, it's quite easy to imagine yourself in the beautiful King's College Chapel or perhaps heaven itself.

The grand tradition of English music.......2005-09-23

Recorded in the Lady Chapel of Ely Cathedral, the Cambridge Singers under the direction of John Rutter produced a duo of discs dedicated to Music of the English Church previously issued as two separate discs, 'Hail, Gladdening Light', and its companion piece, 'Faire is the Heaven'. The discs here are straight copies of those discs; hence, if you have those already, there is no need to purchase this - on the other hand, if you do not have the other discs, this is a bargain.

--Music--
This is all unaccompanied music, sung in a cathedral chapel acoustically suited for such music. The first disc has four primary sections: Music of the Latin Rite; Music of the Reformation; Music of the Restoration; and Anglican Revival and the twentieth century. The most famous composers in English music history -- Tallis, Byrd, Gibbons -- combine with later masters such as Purcell, Stanford, Howells, Walton, Britten and Vaughan Williams to form a truly masterful collection. These are anthems, hymns and other liturgical pieces that have remained important in Anglican worship, and can be often heard in situ on Sundays around the world. However, the Cambridge Singers bring their special music talent to the task, producing a good standard bearer for music of the English Church.

On the second disc, there are six Latin motets, set by composers such as Taverner, Howells, Stanford, Vaughan Williams, Philips and Dering. Anthens and Introits include notables Tomkins and Purcell, and lesser-known composers such as Amner, Bairstow and Goss. Hymns span the range from old to modern, including a hymn by John Rutter himself. The disc ends with three prayer settings, including one by the underappreciated John Sheppard, and another from William Harris, whose hymn serves as the title to the companion disc. These anthems and hymns show a powerful range of music, yet show a consistent tone also that makes it rather distinctive of the music of the English church.

The group's power and grace is second to none, particularly when singing this kind of music in a place such as Ely Cathedral, arguably the most natural of settings possible.

--Liner Notes--
The notes for this recording include the titles and words of each anthem or hymn. The notes for each piece also includes brief biographical information of the composer, and unique information about each work, when particular composers are represented more than once. One thing conspicuously missing is much biographical information about John Rutter, or any descriptive information about the Cambridge Singers apart from the most basic of information.

--John Rutter--
Rutter was born in London and educated at Clare College, Cambridge. This was where his career as a composer, arranger and conductor began. His early work was with groups at King's College Chapel at Cambridge as well as the Bath Choir and Philharmonic Orchestra. He has worked for the BBC providing music for educational series such as 'The Archaeology of the Bible Lands', until in 1979 he began forming the Cambridge Singers, and has continued a remarkable career of performance and recording as their director ever since.

--The Cambridge Singers--
The Cambridge Singers are a mixed choir of voices, many of whom were members of choir of Rutter's college, Clare College, Cambridge. While they specialise in English and Latin liturgical pieces, they have a wide range of recordings that span from modern compositions (including a remarkable requiem by Rutter) to English folk songs of the Middle Ages. Many are former members of the choir of Clare College and other Cambridge collegiate choirs (hence the name, Cambridge Singers). In the quarter-century since the founding, the Cambridge Singers have produced an impressive body of recordings.

music of great beauty.......2005-04-24

Pop one of these CDs into your car stero, turn up the volume and feel yourself drift into a sublime peace. Can music manifest the existence of God?

Excellent Selection, Excellent Performance.......2004-07-28

This two-CD compilation by the Cambridge Singers is truly very good. The repertoire is very diverse and only the best representations of composers and time periods are performed. ALthough most of the pieces were not written with a mixed choir in mind, the Cambridge Singers sing it so well you would not have had any idea. Their performances are careful and exquisite.

Best all-in-one English music CD ever.......2004-04-20

This is a re-release, as one set, of two of my favorite CDs ever: "Faire is the Heaven" and "Hail Gladdening Light" by the Cambridge singers. This is a fabulous compilation of everyone's favorite works from the English Cathedral tradition, all the way from Taverner (16th century) to Tavener (21st century). The selection of works is great and touches all the most important genres. The performance is exquisite, elegant, faultless. The Cambridge Singers have a softer, less edgy sound than the Tallis Scholars, and are more expressive, which may make them easier for some people to listen to, especially for the more recent works. They are no less musical. The Parsons Ave Maria alone brings one to tears. If you want an introduction to English church music, this is the CD to start with. Also makes a great gift, if you already love this music and want to introduce someone else to it.

Average customer rating:

Hymns in the Anglican Tradition Beautifully Performed
Very inspiring music
Great English Hymns
Buy this CD!
English Choirs

Best Loved Hymns
Anonymous , James Bain , Louis Bourgeois , Edmond Budry , Orlando Gibbons , John [composer] Goss , William H. Harris , Herbert Howells , John Ireland , Stephen Jackson , Martin Luther , Edward Miller , Sir Charles H.H. Parry , Clement Cotterill Scholefield , Cyril Taylor , German Traditional , Irish Traditional , Ralph Vaughan Williams , Wallace Collection , Sioned Williams , Benjamin Bayl , Tom Williamson , Choir of King's College at Cambridge , and Stephen Cleobury
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000058BGQ
Release Date: 2001-03-27

Tracks:

Michael: A Fanfare Setting: All My Hope On God Is Founded
Praise, My Soul: Praise, My Soul, The King Of Heaven
Bunessan: Morning Has Broken
Down Ampney: Come Down, O Love Divine
Ein' Feste Burg: A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
Regnator Orbis: O What Their Joy And Their Glory Must Be
Rockingham: When I Survey The Wondrous Cross
Repton: Dear Lord And Father Of Mankind
Slane: Be Thou My Vision
St. Clement: The Day Thou Gavest, Lord, Is Ended
Picardy: Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence
Hast Du Denn, Jesu: Praise To The Lord, The Almighty, The King Of Creation
Love Unknown: My Song Is Love Unknown
Brother James' Air: The Lord's My Shepherd
Maccabaeus: Thine Be The Glory
Song 46: Drop, Drop, Slow Tears
Abbot's Leigh: Glorious Things Of Thee Are Spoken
The Old Hundredth: All People That On Earth Do Dwell

Customer Reviews:

Hymns in the Anglican Tradition Beautifully Performed.......2007-01-24

This is one more example of hymns in the Anglican Tradition, sung by the always excellent choir of King's College, Cambridge. It is a splendid example of the sonorous sound of men and boys, accompanied by a classic English organ and, for the quieter hymns, the gentle sound of harp. All the familiar hymns and hymn tunes are here. You will not regret adding this CD to your collection.

Very inspiring music.......2005-07-06

I always enjoy listening to this Cd and particularly because of the orchestra and mellifluous choir. I especially enjoy: A Mighty Fortress, Come Down, O Love Divine, Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, and Thine Be The Glory. Some of the selections are soft such as "The Lord's My Shepherd" and "Drop, Drop, Slow Tears." Still, it is a fabulous selection and one of my favorites.

Great English Hymns.......2005-02-10

This was one of my Christmas gifts and I really looked forward to listening to it. I had just visited King's College, Cambridge back in August and really liked it--you should try to make it out there if possible.

Anyway, this CD was great to listen to. Some hymns are scored for orchestral accompaniment, choir and organ, while the majority of tracks are just for choir and organ.

Recorded in the King's College Chapel (the front cover has a great shot of the ceiling's trademark "fan" stone carving), the hymns are pure English sound--boys' treble voices along with men's changed voices singing with a pure, clean, straight tone. It's very sweet-sounding.

The hymns chosen are also great; "Be Thou My Vision," an Irish classic, appears along with "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross," "All People That on Earth Do Dwell," and "Morning Has Broken" (later recorded by Cat Stevens).

The singing isn't especially elaborate--they're just simple hymns. They're orchestrated very well, however, and they sound great.

Religious people may prefer these recordings more in general--these are Christian hymns after all--but I think it's a great recording and is worth listening too, especially if you enjoy that English sound!

Buy this CD!.......2004-09-20

Having heard Kings College Choir twice, in the flesh, at Kings, this CD is a wonderful example of what you might hear. If you can't make it to Cambridge, buy this CD. It contains many of the old favorites and also some hymns that are not found on other English hymn CD's.

English Choirs.......2002-12-18

Having visited many Cathedrals throughout the UK and listened to the enchanting voices of the boys choirs, I was disappointed with this particular rendering from Kings. Perhaps I am biased in that I enjoy the organ background or no background but the use of a full blown orchestra, in my opinion, tended to overwhelm and was totally unnecessary and somewhat grandoise choice on the part of Stephen Cleobury. Apart from that, much of the music was excellent. In comparison with other CD's from Kings, this was disappointing.

A Robert Shaw Christmas - Angels on High

Average customer rating:

Beautiful
Robert Shaw Chorale
a perfect Ceremony of Carols!
Brilliant compilation
Didn't care for it that much

A Robert Shaw Christmas - Angels on High

Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000003D2M
Release Date: 1997-09-23

Tracks:

O Come, Emmanuel
Alleluia
The First Nowell
The Carol Of The Birds
Allon, Gay Bergeres
A Hymn To The Virgin
O Magnum Mysterium
Christmas Oratorio: Rejoice And Sing
Ave Maria
What Is This Lovely Fragrance?
Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming
Sing Lullaby
While By My Sheep
Christmas Oratorio: Break Forth, O Wondrous Heavenly Light
Heavenly Light
Adeste Fideles
Ceremony Of Carols: Procession - Hodie Christus Natus Est
Ceremony Of Carols: Wolcum Yole!
Ceremony Of Carols: There Is No Rose
Ceremony Of Carols: That Yonge Child
Ceremony Of Carols: Balulalow
Ceremony Of Carols: As Dew In Aprille
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Ceremony Of Carols: In Freezing Winter Night
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Ceremony Of Carols: Recession: Hodie Christus Natus Est

Amazon.com

In this beautifully chosen program of mostly a cappella arrangements, Robert Shaw and the Robert Shaw Chamber Singers deliver the Christmas story in tones of gentle and moving splendor. The carols and sacred settings recorded here are all of an intimate sort, and the rapturous, gently expressive realizations Shaw and his singers give them prove unfailingly appealing. Particularly moving is the newest work on the disc, a setting of "O magnum mysterium" by the American composer Morten Lauridsen. Franz Biebl's "Ave Maria" is another gem, as is the arrangement by Healy Willan of the French carol "What Is This Lovely Fragrance?" The offering includes a pair of chorales from Bach's Christmas Oratorio and two wonderful Christmas works by Benjamin Britten: "A Hymn to the Virgin" and A Ceremony of Carols, both well done, even if the sound of sopranos and altos (rather than boy trebles) in the latter takes some getting used to. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful.......2007-02-16

The music is beautiful of course. The Robert Shaw Chorale is a high quality group of singers, and the arrangements they sing are really nice. Because of the age of the recording today's standards of equpment and tonal quality simply weren't available but the upgrade from analog vinyl was well-done. I shall look for more of these.

Robert Shaw Chorale.......2007-01-10

This is an excellent ablum. The music is lovely and quite varied. While there are many of the familiar favorites, there are also many new and different songs and the whole CD is a delight to listen to.

a perfect Ceremony of Carols!.......2005-12-22

This is the finest recording of Britten's A Ceremony of Carols I've ever come across, and there are plenty of versions to choose from. The King's College Choir rendition suffers from overstuffed acoustics, a constant with that choir, and their recording of Ceremony of Carols falls short in the requisite rhythmic clarity and intensity. The Christ Church, Oxford version is plodding, and lacks sparkle. Harry Christopher's The Sixteen come close, with marvelous sonics and ecstatic diction, but fall apart in the exacting 'This Little Babe' round with uneven cohesion, and strange stressed notes that ruin the waterfall effect so felicitously construed by Britten. I've not heard Britten's own conducted version, but he scrupulously insisted on boy trebles, and it's difficult if not impossible to conjure a more perfect rendering than the one given here by Shaw and his Chamber Singers. 'This Little Babe' is incomparable in each and all of its rapid fire contours, which is no mean feat. Mezzo-soprano Nanette Soles deserves special mention for incandescent singing on 'That Younge Child". The luminous pacing of 'There is no rose of such virtue' is notable, and to his credit Shaw employs the ecclesiastical pronunciation of the various Latin passages, unlike The Sixteen (and most other English choir recordings of this piece) who insist on an idiomatic British pronunciation of Latin, which offers nothing but distraction. Some will prefer boy treble singers, an attractive option, but for high musical values and the art they inevitably enshrine, it's impossible to be disappointed with this profoundly wrought version of Ceremony of Carols. Bach's 'Break Forth, O beauteous heavenly light' is just right, and I'd not heard 'Heavenly Light' by Aleksandr Kopylov; both are favorable additions to an excellent recording. Recommended.

Brilliant compilation.......2005-03-16

This is an absolutely outstanding collection of carols - some of them well-known, some of them obscure. As a choral singer, I've had the pleasure of singing many of these pieces, and I was delighted when I found them all in one place, and done by an ensemble so accomplished as the Robert Shaw Chamber Singers! It just isn't Christmas for me without this recording.

Didn't care for it that much.......2004-12-27

I prefer to hear the voices and the words of the carols, and this one has too much other sound (maybe even the use of massed voices); I have a hard time hearing what they are singing.

Howells: Requiem; Take Him, Earth, for Cherishing

Average customer rating:

simply grand

Howells: Requiem; Take Him, Earth, for Cherishing

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Lo the Full Final Sacrifice & Other Choral Works
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ASIN: B000026D1K
Release Date: 1999-11-30

Tracks:

Magnificat: Magnificat - St. Paul's
Nunc Dimittis: Nunc Dimittis - St. Paul's
Like As The Hart
Paean For Organ
Requiem: Salvator Mundi
Requiem: Psalm 23
Requiem: Requiem aeternam (1)
Requiem: Psalm 121
Requiem: Requiem Aeternam (2)
Requiem: I Heard A Voice From Heaven
Requiem: Long, Long Ago
Office Of Holy Communion - Collegium Regale: Kyrie
Office Of Holy Communion - Collegium Regale: Credo
Office Of Holy Communion - Collegium Regale: Sanctus
Office Of Holy Communion - Collegium Regale: Benedictus
Office Of Holy Communion - Collegium Regale: Agnus Dei
Office Of Holy Communion - Collegium Regale: Gloria in Excelsis
Rhapsody No. 3 For Organ
Take Him, Earth, For Cherishing

Customer Reviews:

simply grand.......2000-05-02

Tremendous clarity and musicianship from all concerned. If this Howells is your cup of tea then go to his 'Hymnus Paradisi" which is based on his requiem recorded here. The man's music stirs my soul

Faire is the Heaven: Music of the English Church

Average customer rating:

The best!!!!!!!!!!
Far more than faire...
"Treasures of English Church Music": same music, better buy
Beautiful
John Rutter Presents English Chruch Music Through the Ages

Faire is the Heaven: Music of the English Church

Manufacturer: Collegium
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Brother Sun, Sister Moon
Treasures of English Church Music
Praise to the Lord - Hymns From St. Paul's Cathedral

ASIN: B0000031H7
Release Date: 1993-09-11

Tracks:

Ave Maria
Loquebantur variis linguis
Miserere mei
Haec dies
Ave verum corpus
If Ye Love Me
Hide Not Thou Thy Face
Lord, For Thy Tender Mercy's Sake
O Clap Your Hands
Bow Thine Ear
Hosanna To The Son Of David
Lord, How Long Wilt Thou Be Angry
Thou Knowest, Lord
Hear My Prayer, O Lord
Beati Quorum Via
This Joyful Eastertide
Sing Lullaby
A Spotless Rose
What Cheer?
O Taste And See
A Hymn To The Virgin
Jesus Christ The Apple Tree
Faire Is The Heaven

Amazon.com

There's no choir better than the Cambridge Singers for thoughtful, imaginative, cohesive programming, and for an ability to excel in performing music of various styles and periods. Here is a splendid example of this group's mastery of repertoire and choral technique, featuring some of the finest choral music ever written, from Tallis, Byrd, and Gibbons to Stanford, Howells, and Britten. --David Vernier

Customer Reviews:

The best!!!!!!!!!!.......2006-06-02

I am fond of sacred choral music, and I have listened to several groups and CDs. But I have yet to find any group with the superb quality of the Cambridge Singers! Under the direction of John Rutter their smooth, flawless music flows so seemingly effortlessly (though we know that much effort must be made for such angelic quality). The acoustics are awesome as the recording was recorded in an ancient cathedral. They say a whisper will resonate 5 seonds after the whisperer stops. And the selection of music as well is wonderful! There is a progression from the 1500s to the 1900s, and though all the music is nice the first portion is especially melodic, enchanting, relaxing, and inspiring!!! Therefore as the chorus, the recording sound, and the song selections are all EXCELLENT I would definitely recommend this CD to anyone! :)

Far more than faire..........2003-09-08

Recorded in the Lady Chapel of Ely Cathedral (the largest Lady Chapel in England), the Cambridge Singers under the direction of John Rutter produced a great work in this album. Originally produced as a vinyl album in 1982, it was remastered as a CD in 1988. The title derives from a hymn lyric, and the music consists of a sampling of the greatest English church music from the Middle Ages to the twentieth century. The music is meditative, uplifting, and elegant in simplicity and stunning vocal quality.

--Music--
This is all vocal music, unaccompanied by instruments. The disc has four primary sections: Music of the Latin Rite; Music of the Reformation; Music of the Restoration; and Anglican Revival and the twentieth century. The most famous composers in English music history -- Tallis, Byrd, Gibbons -- combine with later masters such as Purcell, Stanford, Howells, Walton, Britten and Vaughan Williams to form a truly masterful collection. These are anthems, hymns and other liturgical pieces that have remained important in Anglican worship, and can be often heard in situ on Sundays around the world. However, the Cambridge Singers bring their special music talent to the task, producing a good standard bearer for music of the English Church.

--Liner Notes--
The notes for this recording include the titles and words, in both Latin and English, for each of the pieces recorded here. It has a brief paragraph of introduction to each piece of music, relating it to its historic and musical contexts. One thing conspicuously missing is any significant biographical information about John Rutter, or any descriptive information about the Cambridge Singers apart from the basic, one-sentence description.

--John Rutter--
Rutter was born in London and educated at Clare College, Cambridge. This was where his career as a composer, arranger and conductor began. His early work was with groups at King's College Chapel at Cambridge as well as the Bath Choir and Philharmonic Orchestra. He has worked for the BBC providing music for educational series such as 'The Archaeology of the Bible Lands', until in 1979 he began forming the Cambridge Singers, and has continued a remarkable career of performance and recording as their director ever since.

--The Cambridge Singers--
The Cambridge Singers are a mixed choir of voices (about 28 voices for this recording), many of whom were members of choir of Rutter's college, Clare College, Cambridge. While they specialise in English and Latin liturgical pieces, they have a wide range of recordings that span from modern compositions (including a remarkable requiem by Rutter) to English folk songs of the Middle Ages.

"Treasures of English Church Music": same music, better buy.......2002-02-01

Thinking of purchasing the "Faire" and "Hail" CDs together? You will save money if you buy them in another guise: "Treasures of English Church Music." This 2-disk set is a reissue that combines Rutter's "Faire" and "Hail" CDs into a single package. You get the same disks for $12-$15 less.

Whatever the package, the music is gorgeous. Highly recommended.

Beautiful.......2001-08-22

Gorgeous sounding church music from early to 20th cent. A CD I play a lot - what more praise does it need?

John Rutter Presents English Chruch Music Through the Ages.......2000-08-19

In this atypical, that is, non-Christmas collection, John Rutter presents English church music from the 16th through the 20th centuries. While one may miss the absence of one or two compositions by Rutter himself, his capacity to achieve a unique sound with a choir is certainly here.

Tracks:

The Worcester Magnificat And Nunc Dimittis: Magificat
The Worcester Magnificat And Nunc Dimittis: Nunc Dimittis
Behold O God Our Defender
The Magdalen College, Oxford Magnificate And Nunc Dimittis: Magnificat
The Magdalen College, Oxford Magnificate And Nunc Dimittis: Nunc Dimittis
The Chichester Magnificat And Nunce Dimittis: Magnificat
The Chichester Magnificat And Nunce Dimittis: Nunc Dimittis
Nunc Dimittis For Unaccompanied Choir: Nunc Dimittis
Evening Service For Voices In Unison: Magnificat
Evening Service For Voices In Unison: Nunc Dimittis
A Hymn For St Cecilia
The Gloucester Magnificat And Nunc Dimittis: Magnificat
The Gloucester Magnificat And Nunc Dimittis: Nunc Dimittis
Salve Regina For Unaccompanied Choir Op.9 No.4
Magnificat And Nunc Dimittis For The Collegiate Church Of Saint Peter In Westminster: Magnificat
Magnificat And Nunc Dimittis For The Collegiate Church Of Saint Peter In Westminster: Nunc Dimittis

Customer Reviews:

Herbert Howells' Greatest Hits.......2005-03-02

I think of the above as an alternate title to Volume 2 of the Morning and Evening Canticles. In this collection, my favorites are the exquisite Nunc Dimittis for Unaccompanied Choir (written for the Catholic Church), the Chichester Service (advisory: this one can be a "downer" if one is in a negative frame of mind due to the angst-ridden, dissonant score--would be very appropriate for Lent--the phrase "terrible beauty" echoes in my mind whenever I listen to this service), the Gloucester Service (the silvery intermingling treble lines in the beginning of the Magnificat are a delight--once, while driving through a snowstorm,I was listening to this service and found it an appropriate accompaniment to the weather), and the Westminster Service. There is a "wildness" to the latter. The alternating minor chords in the beginning of the Magnificat and the rising and falling of the musical lines made it a fitting background to the Appalachian novel I was reading while listening to this CD. The "Great Amen" of both the Magnificat and the Nunc Dimittis is the most striking feature of this service. In case you haven't deduced this by now, I am NUTS about this CD!

Wonderful music, wonderfully performed.......2004-03-04

The Priory series of recordings encompassing all of the Morning and Evening Canticles of Herbert Howells continues with this second cd of Evening canticles, with a few anthems thrown in for good measure.

First, the anthems. Behold O God, our Defender, was written for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, and is a stirring work. The Hymn for St. Cecilia, the patron saint of music, is also an excellent work, and it is nice to have both of them on this recording.

But it is the canticles for which you buy this recording, and the wealth of Howells' imagination continues to be revealed in this second volume. The Magdalen College service is very contemplative. The Chichester Service, on which the liner notes are somewhat critical, I found to be very moving. It comes from the mid-1960's when Howells' music was more pessimistic, but there is no abandonment of hope. The St. Peter's Westminster service is also fine, but it the the Gloucester canticles that are the most impressive. I find it almost impossible to write about the beauty and power of this service, the only service, incidentally, in which the canticles end pianissimo.

Tracks:

Mass: I Kyrie
Mass: II Gloria
Mass: III Credo
Mass: IV Sanctus
Mass: V Agnus Dei
Agnus Dei
Miserere Mei, Deus
Requiem: I Salvtor mundi
Requiem: II Psalm 23
Requiem: III Requiem aternam
Requiem: IV Paslm 121
Requiem: V Requiem aternam
Requiem: VI I Heard A Voice From Heaven

Customer Reviews:

Heavenly.......2006-12-29

WHOA!!! I bought this CD after singing the Barber with my college group. I never expected such great music! The Martin piece starts out the disc and in my opinion is very average. The Agnus Dei is absolutly gorgeous, the only downer being a sour soprano solo note, but the piece redeems itself at the climax, sending chills down your spine. The Howells Requiem is in a class by itself. You can honestly feel the pain and loss that the composer felt after losing his son, and I have never been so moved by any other piece of music. The singers are like liquid gold, especially in the third movement (Requiem I). All in all, a fantastic disc that belongs in every music lovers home. A MUST!!!

Definitely worth buying!!!.......2006-07-09

I initially heard Samuel Barber's Agnus Dei on our local Public Broadcasting radio station and immediately acquired my own copy afterwards. That piece alone is worth the entire CD.
I have listened to all the other tracks and the Requiem is also very moving.

remarkable transposition.......2006-03-11

The transposition of Barber's Adagio for Strings into a choral piece is by itself worth the price of this CD. This is ethereal music.

A Classic.......2006-02-22

This is a truly fantastic cd! The choir is very tight and seem to follow Dale Warland's every move. The Agnus Dei will give you chills as it reaches the climax of the piece. The Howell's Requiem will leave you at piece. The soloists are top notch, and the choir is as well, and I promise you won't be dissapointed.

Nothing else available like it........2005-09-26

Without question, this recording is on the "not optional" list for any choral director. The acoustics of the space in which it was recording, the amazing technical mastery of the performance, and the music itself are all what make this a very important choral CD.

There are, unfortunately, some real disappointments there too:

1. The fabled Allegri Miserere is certainly the low point of the CD, primarily because the greatness of the work (in my humble opinion) pales with those on the rest of the disc and because it is not performed with an idealy authentic style. Still, it is admittedly somewhat satisfying and very beautifully sung.

2. This CD contains what is perhaps the most perfect recording of Barber's Agnus Dei available anywhere, except for a single, heartbreakingly unfortunate blemish: the vital but 3-second-long soprano solo is very mediocre. Helas!

3. The Martin Mass is amazing music, and most of it's performance here is absolutely captivating and wonderful. The concluding Agnus Dei is perhaps the most personal and goosebump-raising movement, but it is sadly performed FAR too fast and dryly on this recording.

These criticisms notwithstanding, I still have given this a 5-star rating simply because the music selection is unlike anything available on one CD anywhere, and the vast majority of it is still first-rate. All the works included here have a unique and very interesting story behind them, and are very personal, powerfully touching works. The Howells Requiem is particularly amazing. Extraordinarily heart-wrenching, but in a very different, quiet, hazily dissonant, unbelievably lonely way.

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