Rutter: Gloria

‘The most successful and well-known composer of choral music in recent British history,’ wrote BBC Music Magazine of the composer, conductor and arranger John Rutter. This collection celebrates the festive side of Rutter’s music, from the jubilant Gloria for full orchestra to the street festival-inspired Magnificat, and includes his Psalm 150, composed for the Queen’s Golden Jubilee in 2002.

A welcome new addition to the English Choral Music series on Naxos, and a glorious follow-up to the two best-selling Rutter titles in the catalogue - Requiem and Mass of the Children.

The three works heard on this disc span a period of fifteen years from 1974-1990. John Rutter’s Gloria was a milestone in his career as it was the first major commission he had received from overseas, and sowed the seeds of his popularity in America. It remains an evergreen favourite with choirs worldwide for its freshness, drama and sheer beauty.

The joyous setting of the Magnificat was conceived, in the composer’s words, as ‘a bright Latin-flavoured fiesta’ and is performed here in its version for choir, organ and chamber orchestra. This delightful choral album concludes with Rutter’s setting of the Te Deum, one of the church’s most ebullient hymns of praise to the Almighty.

The Choirs of St Albans Cathedral, conducted by Andrew Lucas are on fine form in this their first recording for Naxos. “The sound of the choir is full and colourful throughout and the boys produce a very fine sound indeed matching their well-developed sound with mature musicianship” The Organ

This wonderful Christmas CD balances a number of different elements – choral showcases from Musica Sacra, an organ solo, the splendour of the brass both by itself and in combination with the choir and organ. There is some ‘serious’ classical music as well as lighter, more popular repetoire, which overall, has something for everyone and should be a welcome addition to the musical joys of Christmas.

Here are dynamic modern performances of some of the most popular of all sacred vocal works written in the second half of the last century, expertly done by chamber choirs soaked in the tradition which the works themselves draw upon.

The Gloria is perhaps the best-known of the extended compositions by John Rutter, composer of such choral evergreens as A Gaelic Blessing and Shepherds’ Pipe Carol. Rutter’s setting fully captures the exuberance of the text, with sparkling orchestral colours and fullbodied choral parts.

Like the Gloria, Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms (socalled because of the nature of their original commission, made in 1964 by the Dean of Chichester Cathedral, Walter Hussey) may be musically sophisticated in technical terms, but never at the expense of creating an instant impression or of serving the texts. The poignant treble solo in the second movement is still, along with ‘Maria’, one of Bernstein’s most imperishable melodies.

Poulenc, too, had melodies pouring out of him, though his settings of ancient liturgical texts (and rustic peasant prayers) in Litanies à la Vierge Noire, Quatre Petites Prières de Saint François d’Assise, Exsultate Deo and Salve Regina are in the more austere tradition of French sacred works.

Recordings date from 1995

Two of the finest chamber choirs in the English choral tradition, expertly directed and recorded

Booklet notes in English, with sung texts in the original language and English translation

5 CD + CD ROM of booklet notes and sung texts

CD 1: Lamentation

CD 2: Henry Purcell

CD 3: Evensong & Vespers at King's - Vespers for the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary - Evenson for Advent

CD 4: Sacred Choral Favourites

CD 5: Works by Rutter, Bernstein & Poulenc