Prices shown exclude VAT. (UK tax is not payable for deliveries to United States.)
See Terms & Conditions for p&p rates. | |  | A Spotless Rose
From music spanning the 15th century (Josquin, Mouton) to the present (Adès, Taverner), Paul McCreesh and the Gabrieli Consort pick a bouquet of choral music composed in homage to the Virgin Mary that enchants and cleanses the ear Not only will aficionados of early music flip for this CD - the austerity of early music appeals greatly to fans of contemporary music. Early music’s purity marries perfectly to contemporary music’s preference to downplay overt emotionalism. All a cappella, A Spotless Rose, recorded in the acoustically perfect and sacred setting of Lady Chapel of England’s Ely Cathedral, vibrates listeners up into the loftiest realms of the soul “Time and again in this profoundly sentient collection of Marian compositions the Gabrieli Consort effectively bypass the whole self-orientated notion of 'performance', drawing the listener into what, in many of these pieces, is essentially a process of prayer through music. Not all is meditatively reverential, however... James MacMillan's superbly dramatic Seinte Mari Moder Milde is in places fiercely, burningly imprecatory in its impact. It's magnificently sung here by the Gabrieli Consort, whom Paul McCreesh directs with passion and dedication...” BBC Music Magazine, January 2009 ***** “Marian worship reaches giddy heights of bliss in this gloriously sung survey. There can be nothing but praise for the breathtaking assurance and responsiveness of McCreesh's singers throughout… Emanating from the magically apt surroundings of Ely Cathedral's Lady Chapel, the sound is as atmospheric and voluptuous as can be imagined...” Gramophone Magazine, March 2009 “Sung throughout with sensitivity to style, this themed programme reveals the reverence and the rapture the Virgin Mary has inspired in music over the centuries.” The Telegraph, 23rd February 2009 “Two years ago Paul McCreesh and his choir released a beautifully conceived album on the theme of pilgrimage, interleaving Tudor polyphony with 20th-century British a cappella settings. Now he and the Gabrieli Consort have attempted the same thing using music composed in honour of the Virgin Mary, though this time they have cast their historical net far wider. As before, Renaissance masterpieces provide the spine. But this time a range of traditions is represented; there is an Ave Maria by Josquin, and a motet by his contemporary Jean Mouton, as well as Palestrina's monumental Stabat Mater and some anonymous pieces.
The modern settings of Marian texts are even more disparate. John Tavener and Giles Swayne rub shoulders with Herbert Howells and Thomas Adès, and the disc ends with James MacMillan, Grieg, Bax and Gorecki. Choral forces vary from eight singers to over 30, and the recorded sound from Ely Cathedral is consistently glorious; but the musical mixture seems just a bit too eclectic.” The Guardian, 20th February 2009 *** “'My intention was to create a collection of private meditations highlighting the key events of Mary's life,' writes Paul McCreesh, 'Like the Book ofHours, it would consist of works intended for metaphysical reflection: for revealing and and commenting on the ineffable.' It's a tremendously rewarding sequence, some 13 items in all spanning no fewer than 600 years, and so cannily programmed that temporal and stylistic boundaries shift and sometimes evaporate altogether: prepare to marvel at the way Josquin's Ave Maria,Virgo serena follows on so naturally from Sir John Tavener's ravishing A Hymn to the Mother of God.
Tavener is one of five living figures represented, the contributions by Giles Swayne, Thomas Adès and James MacMillan adding a not unwelcome element of astringency to the mix and contrasting boldly with the transcendent diatonic radiance of Górecki's Totus tuus.
There can be nothing but praise for the breathtaking assurance and responsiveness of McCreesh's singers throughout.
Emanating from the magically apt surroundings of Ely Cathedral's Lady Chapel, the sound is as atmospheric and voluptuous as can be imagined, though the formidable resonance means that the words are not always ideally clear. But that's about the only grumble, for this is indeed a glorious CD.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010 | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
|
|
| |  | Panis angelicusFavourite Motets from Westminster Cathedral
Bach, J S: | Cantata BWV147 'Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben': Jesu, bleibet meine Freude Music from Cantata No 147 | Elgar: | Ave verum corpus, Op. 2 No. 1 | Fauré: | Maria Mater gratiae Op. 47 No. 2 Cantique de Jean Racine, Op. 11 | Franck, C: | Panis Angelicus | Gounod: | Ave Maria | Grieg: | Ave Maris Stella | Harris, W: | Faire is the heaven | Holst: | Ave Maria, H49, Op. 9b Nunc dimittis, H127 | Mawby: | Ave verum corpus | Mendelssohn: | Ave Maria, Op. 23 No. 2 I waited for the Lord | Mozart: | Ave verum corpus, K618 | Rossini: | O salutaris hostia | Schubert: | Psalm 23 'Gott ist mein Hirt', D706 | Severac: | Tantum ergo | Villette: | Hymne à la Vierge, Op. 24 |
“A beautiful disc of sacred motets from one of this country’s finest choirs” Classic FM Magazine | | | In stock - usually despatched within 1 working day. |
|
|
| |  | Music for Mary Volume 2
Richard Lea (organ) The Choir of Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, Timothy Noon “Most impressive is Timothy Noon's own setting of Salve regina. Partly because this music is so well tailored both for this choir and for the sound it makes in the cathedral, the choir seems to raise its game...The single organ solo is a typical essay in style over substance by Langlais, but delivered with suitable panache by Richard Lea and making a dazzling centrepiece to this thoroughly enjoyable programme.” Gramophone Magazine, April 2011 | | | Usually despatched in 8 - 10 working days. |
|
|
| |  | Hear My Words: Choral Classics from St John’s
As exclusive Chandos artists, the Choir of St John’s College, Cambridge here presents its second release. The first CD, of choral music by Howells (CHAN10587), was released to rave reviews in March this year. Choir and Organ wrote: ‘There is musicianship here of a rare and moving kind.’ This new release of popular choral classics should meet with a similar reception while at the same time appealing to a wider audience. Established in the 1670s, the Choir of St John’s has a distinguished tradition of performing religious music. Its main duty is singing the daily services in the College Chapel during the University Term. During the University vacation the Choir carries out engagements in the UK and overseas, as well as undertaking a busy recording schedule. This particular release was recorded in the College Chapel in full surround-sound. The disc not only sounds spectacular, but recreates to an uncanny degree the experience of listening to the Choir perform in the chapel. The music itself represents a time span of nearly 500 years of choral music. The earliest piece dates from the first half of the sixteenth century, and the newest was composed as recently as 2007. The styles and genres are varied, but there are clear links between the works throughout. For example, several are based on texts from the psalms, and the works by Pärt, Parsons, and Rachmaninoff offer three radically different interpretations of the Ave Maria. Some of the works also add a solo instrument to the familiar mix of voices and organ. But perhaps most importantly, all the pieces recorded here sit comfortably under the heading of ‘Popular Choral Classics’. Allegri’s Miserere is counted among the great classics of church music. Part of its mystique stems from its origins; for many years the work was performed only in the Sistine Chapel, and as with other works tied to a single place it became an object for pilgrimage. In this case the pilgrims included Mendelssohn, as well as Mozart who famously noted down the work from memory after leaving the Vatican, thereby risking excommunication by the Catholic Church. This new release also features Stanford’s Jubilate, which was written for Trinity College, Cambridge. Intended as part of the service of Morning Prayer, it has long been one of the most popular canticles in the Anglican repertoire. In keeping with the text, Psalm 100, the tone is festive throughout. “The boy treble voices bring lustre and freshness to the sonority, and the singing throughout is stirring and polished.” The Telegraph, 29th October 2010 **** “the poised, sentient performance of Allegri's famous Miserere opening the disc bespeaks dedicated preparation, both technical and spiritual. I like the spatial variegations drawn by [Andrew Nethsinga]...and the unobtrusively pregnant phrasing of the tenor plainsong interjections...John's are a choir in fulsome health” BBC Music Magazine, Christmas 2010 **** “eclectic repertoire expertly sung” The Observer, 5th December 2010 “A word of reassurance to those who fear that this may be a "lovely" programme of hallowed pot-boilers...If these are indeed, as the title proclaims, "choral classics", that term must have been stretched to include all that is old and good...There are also pieces of modernity...The famous choir appear to thrive under Andrew Nethsinga's management.” Gramophone Magazine, January 2011 “It is with Allegri's impressive Miserere that the disc begins. One must congratulate those boys who rise well above their fellows...an admirable choir and a nicely varied programme.” International Record Review, December 2010 “St John's has a wonderful acoustic, neither too spacious nor too intimate, and in Andrew Nethsinga it has a director who knows how to fill every corner with grace and clarity...the choir sings suavely and radiantly without resorting to cathedral prissiness; the recorded sound is superb. A joy all round.” Classic FM Magazine, February 2011 **** | | | (also available to download from $10.50) | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. (Available now to download.) |
|
|
| |  | Ave VerumSacred Choral Favourites
Boyle, M C: | Thou, O God, art praised | Brahms: | How lovely are Thy dwellings | Bruckner: | Locus iste, WAB 23 | Byrd: | Ave verum Corpus | Duruflé: | Requiem, Op. 9: Pie Jesu | Elgar: | Ave verum corpus, Op. 2 No. 1 | Fauré: | Cantique de Jean Racine, Op. 11 | Franck, C: | Panis Angelicus | Grieg: | Ave Maris Stella | Harris, W: | Bring us, O Lord God | Haydn: | Insanae et vanae curae | Lotti: | Crucifixus | Mendelssohn: | Elijah: Denn er hat seinem Engeln | Mozart: | Ave verum corpus, K618 | Parsons, R: | Ave Maria | Rachmaninov: | Hymn of the Cherubim | Rossini: | O salutaris hostia | Stanford: | O for a closer walk with God, Op. 113 No. 6 | Wesley, S S: | Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace |
A collection of everyone’s favourite sacred choral music, including Mozart’s Ave verum corpus, Faure’s Cantique de Jean Racine and Franck’s Panis angelicus. In addition to these famous works is music by Bruckner, Stanford, Grieg, Byrd, Mendelssohn, Lotti, Rachmaninoff, Elgar and Brahms. This is music to soothe the soul! | | | Usually despatched in 4 - 5 working days. |
|
|
| |  | A Mother’s LoveMusic For Mary
“Despite undoubted stylistic variety in the choice of music, the homogeneity of the sentiment here can be a little stifling. The Sixteen's performances are, however, irreproachably sympathetic.” BBC Music Magazine, November 2007 **** “With its sentimental title, this collection is clearly aimed at the wider market–place. But the programme is perceptively chosen to show how much wonderful music the image of the Virgin Mary has inspired over five centuries. Grieg's opening Ave maris stella is immediately inviting: it has a ravishing simplicity but is passionate too and it is followed by rich, lively music by Cornysh and Josquin laced with the special harmonic character of its period. Next comes expansive Bruckner with a thundering organ and then a delightful surprise, Saint–Saëns's delicious Ave Maria – a real hit.
The simple beauty of Britten's A Hymn to theVirgin captivates the ear, while Mendelssohn's readily melodic and characteristically ambitious Ave Maria moves forward with great fervour, splendidly climaxed by Christophers. Other highlights include Margaret Rizza's richly plangent Ave generosa, eloquently set to words by Hildegard of Bingen, and the romantically soaring Fauré Ave Maria, again using the organ to add background colour, followed by the gentle contrast of Palestrina's Sicut lilium.
Liszt wrote his Ave maris stella while awaiting ordination as Abbé in the Vatican: its hint of austerity is not entirely banished by a natural exuberance which intensifies the plea 'Loosen the chains of the guilty' with which Liszt no doubt closely identified. The programme ends with the dedicated, passionate serenity of Lassus's Salve regina, a most satisfying coda.
Performances throughout show this marvellous choir at their most eloquent, beautifully balanced and blended. Highly recommended for sheer pleasure, but also as a way of exploring a wide range of repertoire.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010 “…the programme is perceptively chosen to show how much wonderful music the image of the Virgin Mary has inspired over five centuries. Performances throughout show this marvellous choir at their most eloquent, beautifully balanced and blended. Highly recommended for sheer pleasure, but also as a way of exploring a wide range of repertoire.” Gramophone Magazine, November 2007 | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
|
|
| |  | Grieg: Choral Music
Grex Vocalis, Magnus Staveland | | | Usually despatched in 4 - 5 working days. |
|
|
| |  | Morning - The Timeless Music of Grieg
| | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
|
|
| |  | At TwilightChoral music by Percy Grainger and Edvard Grieg
‘This scalp-prickling, sometimes spine-chilling, disc should not be missed’ (The Musical Times) “Grainger's mastery of choral textures shines out of this wide-ranging collection of folk-song arrangements, each highly individual and memorable. Plus his friend Grieg's finely scored religious settings. Superior performances by Stephen Layton and Polyphony.” BBC Music Magazine, July 2006 ***** | | | Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. |
|
|
| |  | Regina Caeli
The Chapel Choir of Corpus Christi College Cambridge, Daniel Soper, Rebecca Drake | | | Usually despatched in 4 - 5 working days. |
|
|
| |
|
