Tavener,J. / Wells Cathedral Choir / Owens,Matthew - Tavener: Missa Wellensis - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

Bassano / Mauch / Ces - Amor Sacro - Amor Profano [COMPACT DISCS] date 10/25/2011

Matthew Martin stands among Britain's leading composers for choir and organ. Performed by The Choir of Canterbury Cathedral under David Newsholme, with Jamie Rogers at the organ recently rebuilt by Harrison & Harrison, this programme reflects Martin's close association with Canterbury.The album spans the jubilant Psalm 150, first heard in Manchester, and the direct, concentrated writing of the Coventry Missa brevis, to the stillness of Ave verum and the dramatic narrative of When David heard. An Evensong sequence reveals Martin's instinct for liturgical form, while the organ work concludes the collection with clarity and purpose.Several pieces are recorded here for the first time, offering a focused survey of a distinctive contemporary voice.

Bob Chilcott's Mighty Setting of Words from St John's Gospel Is a Dramatic Yet Optimistic Retelling of the Passiontide Story. The Work Combines 13th and 17th Century English Poetry with the King James Bible Text Settings and, As with Bach's Great Passion Settings, the Role of the Evangelist Is Taken By the Tenor Soloist, Who Provides a Melodious Narrative Throughout. Including 5 Well-Known Hymn Texts Set to New, Original Melodies, the Work Further Confirms Chilcott's Status As One of the World's Most Popular Active Choral Composers.