Review:

Songlist: Introit: Durufle: Requiem, Kyrie: Durufle: Requiem, Domine Jesu Christe: Durufle: Requiem, Sanctus: Durufle: Requiem, Pie Jesu: Durufle: Requiem, Agnus Dei: Durufle: Requiem, Lux aeterna: Durufle: Requiem, Libera me: Durufle: Requiem, In Paradisum: Durufle: Requiem, I Ubi caritas et amor: Durufle: Quatre Motets sur themes gregoriens, II Tota pulchra es: Durufle: Quatre Motets sur themes gregoriens, III Tu es Petrus: Durufle: Quatre Motets sur themes gregoriens, IV Tantum ergo: Durufle: Quatre Motets sur themes gregoriens, Magnificat: Howells: Collegium Sancti Johannis Cantabrigiense, Nunc Dimittis: Howells: Collegium Sancti Johannis Cantabrigiense, I Salvator mundi: Howells: Requiem, II Psalm 23: Howells: Requiem, III Requiem aeternam: Howells: Requiem, IV Psalm 121: Howells: Requiem, V Requieum aeternam: Howells: Requiem, VI I heard a voice from Heaven: Howells: Requiem

Review: The magnificent Tavener piece headlines a collection of choral works that will make a musical companion to anyone's Advent and Christmas.

Songlist: Fear and Rejoice, O People, Hymn to the Mother of God, Carol-Anthems, Carol-Anthems, Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day, There is a Flower, As Dewe in Aprylle, Benedicamus Domino, Remember, O Thou Man, Unto Us is Born a Son, The Truth From Above, On Christmas Night, A Little Hymn to Mary, Come all You Faithful, Jesus Christ the Apple Tree, English Folksongs, Out of Your Sleep Arise, Evening Service in F Major, Totus Tuus, Op. 60

Review: For lovers of British carol services, Christmas is virtually synonymous with Cambridge. This service blends traditional plainsong antiphons and carols with readings.

Songlist: Drop Down Ye Heavens, Lo! He Comes With Clouds, Adam Lay Y Bounden, The Lord at first did Adam make, Es ist das Heil uns kommen her, A Spotless Rose, There is no Rose, Ave Maria, A Hymn to the Virgin, I Sing of a Maiden, This Have I Done for My True Love, Magnificat, Benedicamus Domino, O Little Town of Bethlehem, & antiphons, collects and readings

Review: As one of England's oldest and most respected male choirs one expects great recordings and this collection of the favourites of director Christopher Robinson is a real treat. Recorded in the Chapel this recording demonstrates the Choir's remarkable repertoire stretching from the 15th century until the present day.

Songlist: Insanae et vanae curae, Cantique de Jean Racine, Thou wilt keep Him, How lovely are Thy dwellings, Ave Verum, Thou, O God, art praised, Ave Verum, Locus iste, Bring us, O Lord, Hymn of the Cherubim, Ave Verum, O salutaris, Ave Maria stella Hostia, Crucifixus, Denn er hat seinem Engeln, Ave Maria, Panis Angelicus, Hymn, Pie Jesu

Review: David Hill's final recording with St John's features music by Edward Bairstow. The diverse programme includes well known pieces such as Let all mortal flesh and Jesu the very thought of thee. The release sees the debut recording of Five Poems of the Spirit, for which the Choir were joined by internationally acclaimed baritone Roderick Williams and the Britten Sinfonia.

Songlist: Jesu, the very thought of thee, Blessed city, heavenly Salem, Magnificat (Evening Service in D), Nunc Dimittis (Evening Service in D), Lord, Thou hast been our refuge, If the Lord had not helped me, Let all mortal flesh keep silence (Evening Service in G), Magnificat (Evening Service in G), Nunc Dimittis (Evening Service in G), Come, lovely Name, O Lord, in me there lieth naught, Praise, Purse and Scrip, L'Envoy, Save us, O Lord

Review: Conductor Christopher Robinson directs this historic and highly regarded choir as they perform a thoughtful collection of popular choral music of many of the great composers including Haydn, Faure, Wesley, Brahms, Mozart, Elgar, Bruckner, Rachmaninov, Byrd, Rossini, Grieg, Mendelssohn, Franck, Stanford and Durufle.

Songlist: Insane et vanae curae, Cantique de Jean Racine, Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, How lovely are thy dwellings, Ave Verum, Thou O God art praised, Ave Verum, Locus iste, Bring us O Lard, Hymn of Cherubim, O Salutaris Hostia, Ave Maris Stella, Crucifixus, Denn er hat seinen Englen befohlen, Ave Verum, Panis Angelicus, Hymn, Pie Jesu

Review: A fine selection of traditional English Christmas carols sung impeccable by the venerable English choir under the direction of George Guest.

Songlist: Unto Us a Boy Is Born, Ding Dong! Merrily on High, Balulalow, Holly and the Ivy, In the Bleak Mid-Winter, Sussex Carol, I Sing of a Maiden, Shepherd's Pipe Carol, Silent Night, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, O Little Town of Bethlehem, God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen, Jesus Christ the Apple Tree, Good King Wenceslas, There Is No Rose, Two Welsh Carols, Away in a Manger, O Come, All Ye Faithful

Review: Nowhere is Mendelssohn's creative psyche more poignantly exposed than in his choral works. His desire to create music rewarding for performers and listeners alike is everywhere apparent, as is his always mellifluous and gracious vocal writing. Most endearing of all are Mendelssohn's worlds of dreamlike contentment, which cocoon the listener in a web of enchanted idealism. Hor mein Bitten (Hear my prayer) is the most popular of his small-scale choral works and was composed during Mendelssohn's eighth visit to England in 1844, just before he began putting the finishing touches to his violin concerto. The piece conjures up the feelings of peace and contentment in the flowing melodic lines of the inimitable O for the wings of a dove, which is also on this disc in its famous English adaptation. All of these sacred works are radiantly performed by The Choir of St John's College, Cambridge under David Hill in the first of a new series of recordings on the Hyperion label.

Songlist: Aus Tiefer Not, Ave Maria, Mitten Wir Im Leben Sind, Hor Mein Bitten, Warum Toben Die Harden, Richte Mich Gott, Zum Abendsegen, Kyrie Eleison, Helig Helig Ist Gott Der Herr Zebaoth, Ehre Sei Gott in Der Hohe, Verleih Uns Frieden, O For The Wings

Review: The fruitful development of the English Anthem in the 20th century was made possible, some say, by the interest in the genre from composers who were unencumbered by church appointment. The Victorian flowering of English Anthems by Stanford was passed on to his student and successor at Cambridge, Wood, and other students Bainton, Ireland, Harris and Howells. Britten studied under Ireland at the Royal College of Music, and others studied at Oxbridge, Oxford and Cambridge. Stephen Cleobury directs the acclaimed 33-member, all male Choir of King's College in their renditions of these 13 pieces. Charles Wood's "Hail, gladdening light," Edgar Bainton's soaring "And I saw a new heaven," John Ireland's "Greater love hath no man," Wm. Harris' "Faire is the heaven," Edward Naylor's "Vox dicentis: Clama," Britten's "A Hymn of St. Columbia," Leighton's "Let all the world in every corner sing"... this is not easily performed material, but the Choir effortlessly reaches the high scales and challenging harmonies. Light organ accompaniment on most songs, but the focus is on the voices. Dramatic, operatic compositions wonderfully performed by one of England's finest choirs.

Songlist: Ave Verum, Insanae et vanae curae, How lovely aree Thy dwellings, Ave verum, Ave maris stella, Locus iste, Denn er hat seinen Engeln, Where Thou reignest, Bring us, O Lord God, O! For a closer walk with God, Crucifixus, Pie Jesu Domini, O salutaris hostia, Cantique de Jean Racine, Thou, O God, art praiset, Hymn of the Cherubim, Ave Maria, Panis angelicus, Ave verum, Thou will keep him (Samuel Sebastian Wesley)

Review: Poulenc wrote his Stabat Mater, a hauntingly passionate work, after visiting the sacred shrine of the Black Madonna of Rocamadour. Poulenc's journey profoundly changed his life and work as a composer. Like the Stabat Mater, the Litanies a la Vierge Noir is also inspired by the Black Virgin of Rocamadour. Recorded here in an unrivalled performance by the combined choirs of St. John's, Clare and Gonville and Caius Colleges, Cambridge, with the BBC Philharmonic with soprano Judith Howarth.

Songlist: Stabat mater dolorosa, Cujus animam gementem, O quam tristis, Quae moerebat, Quis est homo, Vidit suum, Eja mater, Fac ut ardeat, Sancta mater, Fac ut portem, Inflammatus et accensus, Quando corpus, Litanies a La Vierge Noire, Timor Et Tremor, Vinea Mea Electa, Tenebrae Factae Sunt, Tristis Est Anima Mea